Co Armagh man with 170 previous convictions, accused of 'directing' race riots in Portadown, is refused bail

Laurence Paul Creaney, aged 37, from Woodside Green, Portadown, appeared before Craigavon Magistrates Court via video link from Maghaberry Prison.

-

-

He faced a number of charges including riotous behaviour, resisting police, assault on police, rioting and possession of the Class C drug Zopiclone on June 12 this year.

Opposing bail, a PSNI officer revealed around 200 to 300 people took part in the riots at West Street with Mr Creaney accused of being ‘a directing member’.

"He was observed by police encouraging and directing the break up of masonry and kerbstones and directing other people with regard to the disorder,” the officer said.

"He was observed on multiple occasions approaching police lines with heavy masonry and bottles and throwing these at police. He was also observed breaking up furniture to be used as a shield to protect himself.

"He was observed by police throwing a large metal beer keg approximately three metres from police lines directed at police officers’ heads,” said the officer.

Asked by District Judge Michael Ranaghan if the keg was full, the officer replied that detail wasn’t in his brief. Elaborating, the officer said: “The keg hit a constable’s shield and fell to the ground.”

The officer further claimed that when Creaney was later arrested he “resisted heavily” and four blister packs of Zopiclone were found on him.

The officer said Creaney has an “extensive record”, adding he was on licence which had been granted on January 17 this year with the offence relating to an arson incident in 2019.

He added Creaney has six convictions for riotous and disorderly behaviours and has 170 convictions in total.

“Police believe he is of a high risk of reoffending,” he said, adding Creaney has 14 bail breaches, the last one in March 2023, pointing out the defendant was sent to prison in November 2023.

Creaney’s barrister, Mr Conor O’Kane, said his client hadn’t previously applied for bail, taking a “realistic approach”. He pointed out the vast majority of those arrested in relation to these protests have been released on bail as “the heat is now come out of the situation”.

He said Creaney will have been in custody for almost four months – the equivalent of an eight months sentence.

The barrister agreed his client was out on licence when these incidents happened.

“Police then contacted the Paroles Commissioners and invited them to revoke his licence.

"It is no coincidence the application has been brought today,” he said, adding there’s a Parole Commissioners’ panel hearing on October 15.

"These are the alleged facts. There is a presumption of innocence. There is a presumption in favour of bail. I don’t think there’s a risk of absconding. He certainly has learned his lesson and he instructs he would have no intention of getting involved in any of this activity again.”

District Judge Ranaghan pointed to Creaney’s significant criminal record and his breach of a Crown Court suspended sentence.

"Given his apparently and allegedly central role in this riot aimed at members of non-Northern Irish descent he is a real risk of further offending and a risk of failing to comply with bail conditions,” the district judge said, refusing bail.