Leading dissident Thomas Ashe Mellon released after breaching bail conditions

Convicted terrorist Thomas Ashe Mellon, 41, from Rathmore Road and Gary Hayden, 45, from Tyrconnell Street were both arrested yesterday following a press conference at Junior McDaid House, the Derry headquarters for the ‘New IRA’s’ political  wing.

Derry Magistrates’ Court heard the men were in breach of their bail conditions when they were released following their arrest last week for taking part in an unnotified dissident republican parade in the city on Easter Monday.

They were granted police bail on condition that they did not attend Junior McDaid House in the city’s Chamberlain Street, not to be in the company of three or more people and have not contact with their co-accused.

District Judge Barney McElhom was told that these conditions were breached when they pair attended a press conference at Junior McDaid House where a man read out a lengthy statement blaming “Crown Forces” for stirring tensions in Creggan last week which sparked petrol bomb attacks on police vehicles.

The men were granted their own bail of £500 and were warned not to take part in any unnotified parade and must not knowingly be within 500 metres of any ongoing police operation.

The judge lifted the conditions of gathering in a crowd of three or more and having contact with  co-accused.

Ashe Mellon is currently the subject of a ten year counter terrorism notification.

It was imposed at Belfast Crown Court in July 2015 and he and another Derry man were jailed for a total of 40 months for having a handwritten note which they attempted to smuggle into the dissident republican wing of a top security prison.Ashe Mellon  received a sentence of two years and four months at Belfast Crown Court after Judge David McFarland said he had a “high culpability” in the case as he had written the note.

William McDonnell (31), of Culaduff Gardens in the city, received a 12 month sentence after the judge said he had played a “lesser role” by acting as a courier.

Both defendants had pleaded guilty to possessing a “handwritten note in circumstances which gave rise to a resaonable suspicion that its possession was for a purpose connected with the commission, preparation or instigation of an act of terrorism”.