Man appears in court in connection with mosque effigy on bonfire

A 56-year-old man has appeared in court charged with incitement to hatred in connection with an effigy of a mosque on a bonfire in Moygashel, County Tyrone

Brian Conrad Neill, from Hollow Mills, New Mills Dungannon was charged on Thursday.

Standing in the dock at Dungannon Magistrates' Court on Friday, the accused spoke only to confirm his name and the charges against him.

The court heard that on 8 July, police were parading the area near the bonfire and on arrival at the bonfire site they observed crowds and a number of males at the top of the bonfire, where the structures were added.

A detective told the court "there was one male not wearing a face covering".

The court heard the male was assisting two men with signs.

She said after this "there was an unveiling" and that "all males made their way to the bottom of the bonfire".

The court heard that following this the police stopped a vehicle and identified Brian Neill.

The detective told the court that following this, the police found "yellow and foam like gloves".

Neill's defence lawyer told the court that "Mr Neill claims he climbed down the bonfire before the top of the signs were removed".

He told the court that "whilst he saw the signs, he didn't read what was on them".

The defence also told the court that during interview Neill said he had arrived at the bonfire with a couple of friends and a couple of cans of cider.

The court heard that during interview Neill had said he was approached by two masked men who had asked him to fix the structure at the top of the bonfire, due to his training as a tree surgeon.

A detective told the court that they rejected bail , because "Mr Neil was likely to commit further offences".

The detective told the court that police believed "Mr Neill to be very influential in the area" and that he was "influential within an organised group of people, likely to be influenced to commit public disorder".

The judge told the court: "This man is asking the court to believe he went to Moygashel with friends and happened upon this incident."

The judge said Moygashel bonfire is " notorious" and that if I was asked by any reasonable person to help with the bonfire "I would recoil in horror".

He told the court any reasonable person would know what was likely to be behind the cover.

He said: "Needless to say, Moygashel bonfire has become notorious."

The judge added "they don't need tree surgeons" they have been doing this previous years.

Neill was remanded in custody and is due to appear in court again on Wednesday 5 August.