Suspended jail term for Kilrea man who waved Parachute Regiment flag from a vehicle whilst calling people 'Orange b**tards' in Ahoghill
A motorist posted footage on TikTok of him driving around Ahoghill calling passers-by "Orange b**stards" and waving a Parachute Regiment flag.
He admitted a charge of 'doing a provocative act' by engaging in 'sectarian behaviour' with intent to provoke a breach of the peace and he has also pleaded guilty to disorderly behaviour in the area of Brookfield Gardens in Ahoghill.
Martin Ward (51), of Drumkill Gardens, Kilrea, committed offences on June 2 last year. He also used a hand-held mobile phone whist driving in Ahoghill and he pleaded guilty to improper use of public communications by sending matter that was 'grossly offensive'.
A prosecutor previously told Ballymena Magistrates Court the defendant was driving around "shouting sectarian obscenities" whilst waving a Parachute Regiment flag out the window.
That court was told the TikTok video showed the defendant asking a man: "Is this your flag?" before Ward called him a "dirty Orange b**tard".
A defence barrister told the earlier court the defendant did not have "any animus" against the Parachute Regiment. "It is a bit unusual, I think it is tied in with his mental health," he added.
He said Ward's mental health had deteriorated since the death of his daughter in 2024 in Belfast. A man originally from Africa but living in the Republic of Ireland was charged with her murder. The lawyer said Martin Ward was engaging with Community Addictions regarding alcohol abuse.
District Judge Nigel Broderick told the earlier court the defendant aggravated the Ahoghill incident by videoing it and posting it on TikTok. The defendant had 108 previous convictions.
The judge had told him: "The untimely death of your daughter no doubt has been a significant cause of emotional upset for you but this is not the way to go about dealing with your grief."
He had deferred sentencing until February to see if the defendant could stay out of trouble. The defendant was back at court on Thursday which was told he had not re-offended.
Judge Broderick said a pre-sentence report was "relatively positive" and the defendant had been engaging with the Community Addictions Team.
A prosecutor told Thursday's Court the Ahoghill incident was "aggravated by hostility". She said the defendant had uploaded a video but had subsequently taken it down.
She said: "He was driving around in his vehicle waving a Parachute Regiment flag from the window. We are not sure why that was. Whenever he came across passers-by he shouted 'Orange b**tards' towards them".
The prosecutor said the defendant shouted "sectarian abuse including 'Orange b**tard' towards" a taxi driver who was parked. She said the defendant indicated the flag belonged to a person known to the defendant.
"There didn't really appear to be any indication about why" the defendant had been waving the flag but "he did accept that the statements" and his actions "could be perceived as sectarian," the prosecution said.
A defence barrister said the defendant is on a "waiting list for grief counselling". The lawyer said the Ahoghill incident had generated "concerns in the community" and the defendant had received a number of threats which had put his life in "danger".
Judge Broderick said the defendant's behaviour had been "very serious". He was given a five-month prison term, suspended for two years; banned from driving for three months and fined £150.