Court is told seven adults and five children were in a house set on fire during Ballymena riots
A court has heard seven adults and five children were in a house which was set on fire by rioters during recent disorder in Ballymena.
Details were outlined by a police officer at Ballymena Magistrates Court on Thursday (July 24). The officer said "the United Kingdom is currently seeing a huge spike in public disorder with racial undertones."
He said that resulted in attacks on police and businesses belonging to people from ethnic minorities "being targeted and burnt".
The officer said "large scale disorder" broke out in Ballymena on June 9 this year which lasted for three consecutive nights. He said further violence "occurred across Northern Ireland including in Larne, Newtownabbey, Portadown and Derry/Londonderry".
He said homes in Ballymena were "specifically targetted, aggravated by hostility due to race". He added: "Seven properties which housed persons of ethnic minorities, were attacked and set alight, some of which were present in the properties at the time causing a real and immediate risk to life, fear, and expulsion from the area with families fleeing for their safety".
The officer said "one family home in Ballymena was set alight whereby seven adults and five children were inside, who managed to escape. Another contained a pregnant lady and a child, both suffering from smoke inhalation."
He continued: "To date in Ballymena alone a total of 24 homes have been damaged with eight families displaced and figures potentially set to rise. Public and private property has been damaged and destroyed.
"Police officers were attacked with fireworks and petrol bombs with a total of 59 police officers involved in the Ballymena disorder alone sustaining injuries, some serous, which has a significant impact on morale and the PSNI's capability to police Northern Ireland effectively and keep people safe within communities."
He said Larne Leisure Centre was attacked and set alight. He said ethnic minority families had fled there for safety. The officer said the families had left the centre prior to the disorder "however patrons were on the premises at the time".
He said the perpetrators had "clearly demonstrated" a "racial hate motivation".
The officer said children from ethnic minorities had "not attended their local schools for fear of attack".
He continued: "The cost to the local economy and the cost to the police as a result of the disorder is estimated to be several million pounds to date, however, the cost of Northern Ireland's reputational damage in supporting our diverse communities had been severely damaged and may never recover."
The officer said that on June 10 there was disorder in the Clonavon area of Ballymena.
Gary McCrystal (42), of Chichester Park West in Ballymena, appeared at court via video link from custody where he has been on remand. He is charged with riotous assembly.
The police officer said footage showed McCrystal rioting in area of North Road and Clonavon Road areas. He was holding a bag from which he distributed bottles to rioters and he had thrown two bottles.
The officer said the defendant made admissions during interview. The defendant told police his actions "were not racially motivated".
A defence barrister said the defendant had a potential bail address in Dervock. The lawyer said the defendant described his own actions as "very naive and very stupid" and he ended up "joining in" the disorder.
District Judge Nigel Broderick said the defendant "was actively providing weapons to other rioters and himself throwing things at police".
He said the defendant had "chosen to go out and involve yourself in a racially-motivated riot". The judge said if ever there was a case of people "thinking twice" before acting, this was it.
He refused bail due to the serious nature of the offence and the risk of re-offending. The defendant was further remanded in custody and the case was adjourned to July 31.