Man accused of damaging War Memorial in Derry released on compassionate bail
The judge said that the custody threshold in the case had probably not been passed and Peter Gillespie's continuing custody was 'getting to the stage of injustice'
A judge at Derry Magistrates' Court said he was not prepared to remand a man in continuing custody on a charge of attempted criminal damage to the War Memorial at the Diamond.
Peter Gillespie (47), of no fixed abode, is charged with attempted criminal damage and criminal damage to the memorial on August 31 last.
Grainne McAnaney counsel for the defendant said that the incident involved her client setting fire to some papers at the monument.
She said he did not accept the charge of criminal damage as he said he had recently been in Taiwan and that was one way of honouring the dead.
She said the damage had been 'minimal' and could be wiped away by hand.
A contest date for May 6 has been set but Deputy District Judge Brian Archer said that this man had 'spent a considerable period in custody' and in all likelihood had been in custody longer than any sentence.
He said that the custody threshold in the case had probably not been passed and Gillespie's continuing custody was 'getting to the stage of injustice.'
The judge said he was not prepared to remand this man any longer and released him on compassionate bail to allow him to seek accommodation.
He will appear again on May 6.