Man charged in connection with spreading of slurry in Ballymena ahead of town's first Pride parade has case further adjourned
A man charged in connection with slurry being spread on roads in Ballymena on Saturday June 28 this year ahead of the town's first ever Pride parade that day, was back back in court today and had the case further adjourned.
Isaac Adams (19), of Lislaban Road near Cloughmills, was released on continuing bail.
He is charged with causing 'manure' to be deposited on a road 'in such a position as to cause or be likely to cause an obstruction or danger'; causing criminal damage to Granville Drive in Ballymena; and possessing a lock knife 'without good reason or lawful authority' at Granville Drive.
At Thursday's Court a prosecutor said the full case file is due with her department from police by August 13. The case was adjourned to August 21.
The defendant was arrested after officers on patrol in the Granville Drive area observed slurry on the road at around 2.55am on June 28.
In a press release that day, police said the matter was being treated as a "hate crime". At a recent court, a police officer said that at 2.45am a police patrol saw the defendant wearing a balaclava. He was carrying two empty 25 litre jugs which he said had had manure in them.
He admitted he was spreading it to disrupt the Ballymena Pride Parade. He said he did in "protest" against the parade. He said he was not the only person involved. He said it was hen litter waste.
He said he wore the balaclava to hide his identity. The defendant said he filled four or five drums from his own farm and said it was a "prank".
The defendant had no record. A defence solicitor told the earlier court the defendant had fully co-operated. He said the defendant was "foolish and stupid" to get involved in this "prank".
He made the case he is an engineer and works on the family farm and that was why he had the knife. The defendant had been wearing his work trousers and the knife was in the pocket.
Hen Manure
The defence said no slurry tanker was involved but it was "small canisters with hen manure".
The lawyer said the defendant's involvement was in the Broughshane Street area. Other streets also had manure sprayed. It cost £788 for a clean-up.
References for the defendant were provided from six elders at his local church and also from his employer. The solicitor said the incident was "very much out of character".
The defence solicitor said the defendant had spent the weekend in custody before the first court appearance and comes from "law-abiding stock".
The lawyer said the "prank" had gone "badly wrong" and after being caught "red-handed" the defendant made full admissions. He said he had literally been caught in the "headlights" of the police vehicle.
At the first court a judge said the lack of record for the defendant and another suspect being on bail meant he was granting bail to Adams.
The defendant was given £500 bail to his home address; he was barred from Ballymena apart from court appearances or legal consultation; he must not possess a mobile phone with internet access; and there is a 11pm-5am curfew.
A 20-year-old man, arrested by officers investigating the incident in which slurry was spread on a number of roads in Ballymena on Saturday June 28, has been released on bail until late November.
On June 28, the Pride parade saw hundreds of people march through Ballymena town centre. The parade ended at Greenvale Street where slurry had been spread earlier and had been cleaned up by people using power hoses.
A counter-protest was staged at Harmony Hub on the parade route with some people displaying religious messages on placards. There was a police presence at the parade.