Man denied bail over alleged assault on former Mayor of Derry and Strabane
28-year-old remanded in custody facing charges of stirring up hatred and possessing provocative material.
A man has been remanded in custody at Derry Magistrate's Court charged with among other things assaulting the former Mayor of Derry CIty and Strabane District Council Lillian Senoi Barr and handing out 'provocative' leaflets.
Stephen Nigel Thompson (28) of Spencer Road in Derry appeared charged with assaulting the former Mayor and also assaulting two others including a 15-year-old .
Thompson was also charged with possessing material likely to cause fear and distress, publishing such material and engaging in behaviour likely to stir up hatred.
A police officer connected the accused to the charges and opposed bail.
The court heard that at 11am on June 20 and event was being held at a cafe run by the North West Migrant Forum in the Embassy building.
Lillian Senoi Barr was addressing the gathering of about 60 people of all denominations which was by invitation only due to the current atmosphere.
The defendant was said to have entered and refused to sign in and 'barged' past a 15-year-old.
Inside the gathering the defendant was said to have started shouting about grooming gangs and Pakistanis and handed out leaflets.
Thompson was told to leave by Councillor Barr through the microphone and he was said to have moved towards her causing her to feel intimidated.
The court was told that people at the gathering were 'distressed and terrified' before Thompson was escorted from the premises.
Police were called and after being shown video footage taken on a phone went to Thompson's address.
At interview the defendant said he was protesting legally against illegal immigrants and he didn't accept anything on the leaflets was offensive.
Police were concerned that if Thompson saw nothing wrong in his behaviour he could re-offend.
Defence solicitor Derwin Harvey said the leaflets contained material from a report by the Restore Britain MP Rupert Lowe on grooming gangs.
He said his client was 'highly critical' of almost every body in the country including the judiciary and the NHS.
Mr Harvey said hisclient believed the First Minister Michelle O'Neill was going to be present and believed Stormont had failed on the immigrant issue.
Deputy District Judge Sean O'Hare said Thompson did not accept his leaflets were 'offensive and provocative' or that people at the gathering would be 'shocked and horrified'.
He said if the defendant did not accept he did anything wrong there was a chance he would do it again.
Bail was refused and Thompson was remanded in custody to appear again on July 20.