Mr Waller, of no fixed address, was refused bail and remanded in custody. Objecting to his release his bail, a police constable described how one boy was beaten about the head and body, and needed staples for his wounds. His friend's blazer was torn when he tried to step in to protect him. The court heard that the schoolboys ran off, but such was their state of panic that they "narrowly missed" being run over by a lorry.
The judge was told that when Mr Waller was arrested he was so drunk he was not fit for interview. When he was questioned by police the following day, he said he could not remember what happened. The defendant is charged with possessing a weapon, namely an animal rib, with intent to cause actual bodily harm. He is also charged with two counts of causing actual bodily harm and causing criminal damage to a school blazer.
The police officer said she was objecting to bail because in her view, "he is a danger to the public" given the allegations that he had launched an unprovoked, "racially motivated and sectarian" attack. Refusing the bail application, the judge said he shared police concerns and had "no confidence that there is any term I could put in place that would adequately protect the public". The defendant was remanded in custody to appear again in court on 7 November.
4 comments:
Given this is Northern Ireland, does "racial" mean Catholic?
The "racist" term confused me, Barbwire.
Usually in Northern Ireland the term sectarianism will be referring to Catholics and Protestants.
The fact that the article mentions "racially motivated" may suggest another religion being involved.
Unfortunately it doesn't make that clear.
I bet the boys have darker skin than your average person from Belfast, and that the man assumed they were Muslims. Racist and sectarian.
That was my guess too, Insolitus.
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