Alleged Ballymena rioter claimed electronic monitoring tag was damaged by a dog

Curtis Dunlop (23), formerly with an address listed as Drumtara in Ballymena but now given as Pinegrove Park in the town, has pleaded not guilty to causing criminal damage to the tag on October 16.

A defence barrister told Thursday's Ballymena Magistrates' Court the defendant "blames it on" a dog.

Dunlop told District Judge Nigel Broderick the dog "chewed" the tag and then said it was "ripped" by the dog.

He said the dog got "hold of it because I was wiggling it. He got hold of it. I tried to rip it away and it ripped the tag".

That case has been adjourned to November 20.

He is also charged with 'riotous assembly' in Ballymena on June 11 this year. That case has been adjourned to November 6.

A previous court heard he was struck in the groin with a police baton round during disorder in the town.

A police officer said when the PSNI spoke to the defendant that night "his speech was slurred and he was making reference to having been 'shot in the testicles'. During the disorder it appears this male has been struck by an AEP baton round and he had an injury consistent with being struck by baton rounds".

It was alleged the defendant had thrown items at police including masonry, fireworks and paint and he is accused of assisting in the burning of bins blocking a road.

He had spent a number of months in custody on remand and on October 2 was released on bail with conditions including a monitoring tag and night time curfew starting at 9pm.

On October 11 the defendant was not at his address when the curfew commenced.

A defence solicitor told an earlier court the defendant had been "playing football in the People's Park" in Ballymena. He had no phone with him and the defendant had asked a friend to tell him when it was 8.30pm so he could return home but he was only told at 9.30pm.

He had then gone home and rang police.

Dunlop has been released on continuing bail.