Two men guilty after illegal dissident parade

Two men who were prosecuted following an illegal parade in Londonderry at Easter 2023 have been found guilty of offences linked to dissident republican activities.

Patrick Anthony Gallagher (34), of Raftery Close in Derry, was convicted of managing a meeting in support of a proscribed organisation, namely the IRA.

Stephen Martin Murney (42) of Derrybeg Terrace in Newry, was found guilty of addressing a meeting in support of the IRA on 10 April, 2023.

Their two co-accused from Derry - 50-year-old Thomas Ashe Mellon, of Glendermott Road and 53-year-old Jason Lee Ceulemans of Creevagh Heights - were found not guilty of managing and addressing a meeting in support of the IRA.

The non-jury, Diplock-style trial took place at Belfast Crown Court last year and the verdicts were delivered on Friday by Judge Gordon Kerr KC.

The trial had been told that the unnotified parade took place on 10 April 2023 along a half-mile route from Central Drive in Creggan to Derry City Cemetery.

Republicans traditionally stage parades to commemorate the anniversary of the Easter Rising which began on Easter Monday 1916.

During the 2023 incident, police were attacked with petrol bombs and officers later found four viable pipe bombs in the graveyard where pro-IRA speeches were made.

The parade had been under police observation when it set off that afternoon and the prosecution alleged that Murney and Gallagher were "standing in front of the crowd" when it passed Creggan shops.

The marchers included a colour party dressed in military-style clothing who were wearing black berets and dark glasses.

The court heard that a police land rover was attacked by masked youths throwing petrol bombs and masonry as the parade stopped at Linsfort Drive.

When the marchers entered the cemetery, a man was observed making his way to the rear of a toilet block with a number of bags.

During the commemoration, it was alleged Gallagher acted as "master of ceremonies".

He was quoted inviting the "Derry Brigade Irish Republican Army" to lay a wreath.

Gallagher also invited Murney to give an oration, introducing him as a "leading Newry republican".

At the end of his speech, and quoting the republican Maire Drumm, Murney said: "It isn't enough to shout 'Up the IRA'. The important thing is to join the IRA.''

A video recording of Murney's oration was posted on the social media platform TikTok.

Gallagher later asked the crowd to stay around to help the colour party "disperse peacefully''.

The court heard members of the crowd then raised umbrellas on a sunny day which shielded the colour party as it made its way to the toilet block.

It was alleged the marchers then removed their military-style clothing and their garments were burned.

The following day, Ammunition Technical Officers (ATO) were called to deal with four viable pipe bombs which had been found by police in a bin beside the toilets.

The four defendants were subsequently arrested.

When Murney's phone was examined, police found messages between him and Mellon about his graveside oration.

Ceulemans sent Mellon a message stating: "I'll have Murney's speech done by tomorrow night and ready for you to bastardise.''

Mellon did not attend the parade according to a senior prosecutor, but he did reply to Ceulemans' message with a "thumbs up" emoji.

The prosecution had alleged that the parade was a "highly choreographed event" which "involved planned violence".

They claimed it could be viewed as an IRA "propaganda exercise" and it was clear from messages exchanged that Mellon knew Murney's speech would encourage support for the IRA.

All four defendants denied the charges against them and they declined to give evidence on their own behalf during their trial.

On Friday it took more than an hour and a half for Judge Kerr to deliver his judgement.

Although Gallagher was convicted of managing a meeting in support of the IRA, he was found not guilty of addressing the gathering.

Conversely, Murney was convicted of addressing the same gathering but he was cleared of managing the meeting.

When Mellon and Ceulemans were acquitted of the charges against them and told they were free to go, they hugged Murney and Gallagher before leaving the dock.

The judge agreed to release Murney and Gallagher on continuing bail ahead of sentencing in two months' time.