A dissident republican parade on Easter Monday organised by Saoradh passes Free Derry Corner
The suspects were arrested after a Saoradh organised parade through the Creggan on Easter Monday, 2018.
Police later raided the then headquarters of Saoradh at Junior McDaid House in Chamberlain Street close to the Bogside.
The charge against each of the accused read that on “02/04/2018, took part in a public procession at Central Drive, Derry, in respect of which the requirements of section 6 of the Public Processions (Northern Ireland) Act 1998 had not been satisfied, contrary to Section 6(7)(a) of the Public Processions (Northern Ireland) Act 1998”.
Those found guilty were:
Joseph Patrick Barr, 30, of Sackville Street;
Andrew Carlin, 32, of Woodvale Mews, Eglinton;
Gearoid Peter Cavanagh, 30, of Northland Road;
Jason Lee Anna Ceulemans, 47,, Long Tower Court;
Gary Hayden, 46, of Tyrconnell Street;
William Martin McDonnell, 32, of Harvey Street;
Paul McIntyre, 51, of Ballymagowan Park;
Patrick Mellon, 27, of John Field Place;
Leading Derry dissident republican and Saoradh member Thomas Ashe Mellon following his arrest in 2014. He was fined today £750 for taking part in illegal parade on Easter Monday 2018
John Patrick Nash, 65, of Fergleen Park;
Christopher Paul O’Kane, 45, of Iniscairn Road.
All 11 denied the charges but were convicted on the basis of CCTV footage against them and fined £750 each.
The case against a 12th suspect, Gerard Christopher Gillen (65), of Cornshell Fields, was adjourned for two weeks.
In the wake of last year’s parade rioting erupted in Creggan as youths attacked police vehicles with a barrage of petrol bombs, setting ablaze a PSNI landrover fitted with a CCTV camera.
This year’s Easter Monday parade was cancelled by Saoradh following the public outrage and backlash over the barbaric New IRA murder of journalist Lyra McKee, on Thursday, April 18, in Creggan.
A PSNI land rover engulted in flames after it was attacked with a petrol in Creggan area on Easter Monday 2018