Unionist in court for online posting

Senior members of the Democratic Unionist Party, including a minister in the power-sharing executive, crowded into the public gallery at a Belfast court as a party colleague was accused of posting an offensive Facebook message.

Edwin Poots, who is in charge of the health department at Stormont, former finance minister Sammy Wilson, and Gavin Robinson, the former Belfast lord mayor, were among those who stood with supporters when it was confirmed Ruth Patterson would be pleading not guilty.

She was charged with sending a message that was deemed to be grossly offensive, indecent, or obscene or of a menacing character via public electronic communications network last month.

Her solicitor, Denis Moloney, said even though Ms Patterson, a former deputy lord mayor, had issued a humble and contrite apology, it did not affect his client’s ability to contest the charges. “The matter gained notoriety because of the humble and contrite apology,” he said.

He described her arrest as malicious and draconian, and urged the case to be held as soon as possible.

“I would like to ask for six weeks so that it is not hanging over her like the sword of Damocles,” he said.

Ms Patterson, aged 57, was detained by the PSNI over remarks made on Facebook responding to a post about an imaginary massacre on a controversial IRA commemoration parade in Castlederg, Co Tyrone, earlier this month.

The ex-nurse and retired member of the Ulster Defence Regiment is alleged to have said the attackers “would have done a great service to Northern Ireland”.

She later withdrew the comments and apologised. The DUP described them as unacceptable.

A PSNI detective told the court he believed he could connect the defendant to the charges.

Mr Moloney said there were issues he had been asked to raise about the nature of Ms Patterson’s arrest but did not wish to question the detective in the witness box because he was not the investigating officer.

District Judge Fiona Bagnall adjourned the case for eight weeks, to Oct 17, at the request of the prosecution. She said: “I would prefer to take it for eight weeks and have a decision rather than bring it back after six and not have a decision.”

Some supporters erupted into applause at the end of the five-minute hearing and as they left the gallery called out “no surrender”. Others verbally abused police officers with taunts that included “this is political policing” and “we know the law is not on our side” before Judge Bagnall ordered the courtroom be cleared.

As she left the Laganside Court complex, Ms Patterson was flanked by DUP colleagues including junior minister Jonathan Bell, Belfast deputy lord mayor Christopher Stalford, and councillors Brian Kingston, Guy Spence, and Frank McCoubrey.