8 of the 9 charged after Raytheon protest get bail

Press Association reports that 8 of the nine men, including Eamonn McCann, arrested after forcing their way into the Raytheon offices in Derry and destroying computer equipment and documents have been granted bail with conditions on their movements and association. One of the nine did not apply for bail. Also worth noting, according to the Irish News report[subs req], three of the nine “refused to acknowledge the court” when they were initially charged.The charges are detailed in the PA report..

Miss Naomh Lavery, for the Crown, told the court: “The protesters carrying placards identifying themselves as the Derry Anti-War Coalition staged a protest outside the Raytheon offices. Members of the crowd confronted two security guards who were punched and kicked.”

She said: “They smashed through doors with a crowbar they had brought with them and made their way to a first floor office occupied by Raytheon.

“Three members of staff in the office were ordered to leave and the group barricaded themselves inside.”

She said during an eight hour stand-off, office equipment and computers were damaged or thrown out of the windows. A mainframe computer suffered £150,000 of damage and the total damage was in the region of £350,000.

She said after being arrested by police, all nine people read out a statement at the start of their interviews in which, she said, they attempted to justify their actions.

Those charged included veteran socialist and journalist Eamon McCann, 63.

The others, who like Mr McCann live in Derry, were James Kelly, 45, Colm Bryce, 40, Kieran Gallagher, 45, Micheal Gallagher, 27, Patrick McDaid, 36, Gary Donnelly, 36 and Sean Heaton, 34.

The ninth man Eamon O`Donnell, who was charged alongside them, did not seek bail.

The bail conditions are to be reviewed on 29th August.

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