Man charged with rioting offences at Belfast court

Paul McCallister has been charged with riotous assembly and also encouraging/assisting others to riot on August 3

PSNI officers man road blocks in Belfast (PA)

A man has appeared in court in Belfast charged with rioting offences.

Paul McCallister, 26, of City Way in the Northern Ireland capital, appeared before Belfast Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday morning.

He has been charged with riotous assembly and also encouraging/assisting others to riot on August 3.

McCallister indicated he understood the charges.

A detective constable said he could connect the accused to the charges.

No application for bail was made, and he remained in custody.

A defence lawyer indicated that an application for bail will be made at his next appearance before the court on August 21.

McCallister is the latest of a number of men to appear before courts in Northern Ireland charged in connection with serious disorder on the streets of Belfast earlier this month following an anti-immigration protest.