Two men convicted of sectarian attack on father-of-four in Portadown after challenging him for wearing a Mexico City GAA top

Martin McWilliams, who was wearing a Mexico City GAA top when he went for an appointment at a tanning salon on Mahon Road in the Co Armagh town, was attacked by two men, one of whom told him he shouldn’t wear that top “around here”.

-

-

Paul Mark Rodney Hobson (known as Mark), aged 48, from Fitzgerald Park, Portadown, appeared before Craigavon Magistrates Court on Friday contesting a charge of assaulting Mark McWilliams and criminal damage to the victim’s car. A third charge of assaulting a woman was dismissed.

Simon Millar, aged 44, also with an address at Fitzgerald Park, Portadown, but who told the court he is currently living in a hostel in Belfast, was charged with criminal damage and common assault on the same victim.

Mr McWilliams revealed that on Sunday, June 23, 2024 at around 11.45am he drove to a “sunbed shop” on Mahon Road. He parked a short distance away but not directly outside the salon.

He spotted two men sitting on bench outside the shop. “As I approached one of them said ‘You shouldn’t be wearing that top around here’,” said Mr McWilliams explaining it was a green Mexico City GAA top which had a white collar with orange on the sleeve.

He said he told the men he would “wear whatever I want and I just walked on in”. “It was as if they were trying to provoke me so I just bypassed it and walked on,” he said, adding that Mark Hobson had followed him into the salon.

"He said ‘Give us a hug. You know who I am’. Then I realised who he was from Instagram and his food company,” said Mr McWilliams, adding that he told Hobson to leave him alone.

He said after using the sunbed he left, walking towards his car. As he opened the car Hobson again asked him for a hug. Mr McWilliams refused to give him a hug and tried to get into his car. As he got into the car Millar called the victim a “Fenian”.

The witness said he felt “very anxious” and “scared”. He sat in his car but Hobson blocked him from closing the door. He kept saying “give us a hug” and coming towards the victim who was becoming even more anxious.

Mr McWilliams said Millar came towards him and Hobson went to punch him in the face but the victim managed to dodge it. Mr McWilliams said he then hit Hobson in the face as he came closer to him with a “closed fist”.

He could see Millar coming for him so he started to “run around the cars”. “As I was coming around the car I had flip flops on. One of them fell off so I stumbled. Millar caught up with me swinging a punch. I moved out of the way and hit him in the face,” said Mr McWilliams.

When he turned around he saw Hobson. “He tried to swing for me again but at this point I moved out of the way and hit him. As soon as I hit him I ran towards my car, got in and locked the doors,” said the witness, adding that Hobson was “booting the side of the car” with Millar kicking and punching the window.

He said he was trying to get away to safety but was panicking that the car window was going to “come in”. He said he reversed away but the pair were still kicking and punching the panels of the car.

Mr McWilliams said he spotted a police officer on a motorcycle, followed him when he pulled into a side street. “I was afraid for the girl I left back there on her own,” he said, adding he returned to the scene with police.

Under cross-examination by barrister Mr Damien Halleron, Mr McWilliams admitted he had spoke to journalists in NI World and the Irish News and told them the men had bottles in their hand. He explained that he hadn’t mentioned the bottle in evidence as he wasn’t attacked by a bottle.

Mr Halleron put it to Mr McWilliams that Hobson told him he was a “madman” for wearing the GAA top and was joking. This was disputed by the witness who said he was “taken aback” that Hobson would say such a sectarian comment “in this day and age” and that he brought his children up to respect everyone.

Mr McWilliams admitted striking both men in self defence including breaking Hobson’s nose and giving Millar a “bloody nose”. He denied that the pair were at his car as they were attempting to stop him leaving the scene after assaulting them.

"Definitely not true. I went and got the police. They didn’t look for police. I tracked the police down. I followed police back to the scene,” he said.

A PSNI officer told the court that while conveying Hobson to hospital he made an “unprompted” remark about “slapping the vehicle and he went for him”.

Giving evidence, Hobson, a self employed street food businessman, said when Mr McWilliams arrived, himself and Millar were on a seat outside having a smoke.

Hobson claimed he thought Mr McWilliams was wearing a Celtic top. Asked why he felt he had to remark on it, Hobson said: “It’s just certain areas and that’s not my feelings. If someone was walking up the Garvaghy Road wearing a Rangers top I would have said the exact same thing,” he said, claiming he told the victim he was a “madman” and was laughing.

Hobson claimed Mr McWilliams didn’t respond well, was “very angry” and said “What the f**k are you going to do about it?” He further claimed that when the victim came out of the salon “words were exchanged” but he couldn’t remember what was said, however he denied using the word “Fenian”.

He also claimed that when he got off the summer seat Mr McWilliams “hit me a smack and I went to the ground”. He also claimed when he was getting off the ground, Mr McWilliams was “punching Simon”. He admitted chasing the victim around the car.

Hobson claimed he put his hands on the victim’s car because he had taken a photo of them but denied causing any damage to it. He also denied using sectarian language.

A Prosecutor told Hobson he had left out a major part of the case in that he had been drinking for 10 hours prior to the attack. Hobson admitted he had been drinking but had stopped about an hour or two before he incident. “They were only alcopops,” said Hobson.

The Prosecutor put it to Hobson that both police officers described him as “highly intoxicated” or “extremely intoxicated” yet he remembered everything from that day. Hobson said he did.

He put it to Hobson that he took issue with Mr McWilliams as he was wearing a “Catholic orientated top” but Hobson denied this and denied asking for a hug.

Hobson claimed he was arrested immediately and assaulted by police. He claimed police were lying about claims he admitted slapping the car.

Millar denied saying anything sectarian to Mr McWilliams. He claimed the victim hit Hobson in the face and he went to “split it up”. “I thought he was going to stick his boot into him,” he said. He agreed that after the incident he walked back to Hobson’s house, had a beer and fell asleep before being woken up by police.

District Judge Michael Ranaghan said: “Mr Hobson was an unimpressive witness. Today, for instance, he now claims he was assaulted by police and police are lying in their evidence. I don’t believe that for one second.

"Mr Millar is a far from impressive witness, a poor historian and changed his evidence on matters such as drinking and about the punch to Mr Hobson.

"Mr McWilliams on the other hand, bar the issue over the bottle, was a straightforward witness and his evidence did not change. He gave an account today about the presence of a bottle. I don’t think he was trying to exaggerate, lie or hide anything.

"I do believe he felt threatened following a deliberate sectarian comment and given his fear he does not have to wait to be struck before reacting and striking out in self defence. I think his actions that day were appropriate and proportionate.”

Convicting them of all charges with the hate crime aggravator, the District Judge said he “hadn’t believed them at all”. He said he would give them a chance with a pre-sentence report. The case was adjourned until September 26.