Large crowd charged police officers in Ballymena and alleged rioter escaped with handcuffs still attached

Martin Brian Gamble (40), formerly with an address listed as Ard-na-Maine in Cullybackey but now given as Manor Street in Belfast, is charged with riotous behaviour in the Clonavon Terrace area of Ballymena on Monday June 9.

He is also charged with riotous assembly, theft of police handcuffs and resisting and obstructing a police officer.

The defendant appeared at Ballymena Magistrates Court on Thursday via video link from prison where he has been on remand.

Objecting to bail, a police officer said on around 10pm on June 9 the defendant was lifting bottles from a bin in the North Street area and attempting to lift masonry "during violent disorder".

The defendant ran from police when challenged "pulling off a balaclava" and was recognised by officers who "called out his name".

He was restrained and struggled violently and attempted to break free with handcuffs attached to a hand.

The officer added: "A large crowd of persons, numbering several hundred, then charged at police in an attempt to free the defendant."

The five police officers present retreated "before the crowd became too aggressive" and the "police feared for their safety".

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The defendant ran off into the crowd with the handcuffs still attached. They were not retrieved.

When arrested the defendant "made admissions to resisting police and fleeing with police handcuffs" and he "admitted concealing his identity" but "denied attempting to collect materials to throw and being involved in the riot".

The officer said a trawl of footage showed that the defendant was "involved in riot" at another stage on June 9. He was not wearing a mask at Clonavon Road "and can be seen at the front of a crowd of hundreds of persons placing items onto a burning barricade in front of police lines".

She said the defendant was then passed a balaclava which he put on and "continues to engage in throwing items during a sustained attack on police along with a group of other masked persons".

She said it had been "racially-aggravated public disorder" which resulted in "significant damage to property" and injury to police officers. He had 35 previous convictions including disorderly behaviour and assault on police.

A defence barrister said the defendant is "registered disabled" and due to ongoing mental health issues "had a psychotic episode in prison".

District Judge Nigel Broderick refused bail on the grounds of risk of further offences. The case was adjourned to July 31.

The judge said the charges arose out of "significant rioting, racially-motivated, that generated fear and destruction and attacks on police officers".