A 38-year-old man lit and threw a firework at counter-protesters during an anti-immigration rally in Belfast, the High Court has heard.
Gary Creighton admitted hurling the pyrotechnic “in the heat of the moment” after going into the city centre to watch a football match, a judge was told.
Granting bail to the defendant, Mr Justice Humphreys declared: “His actions could have caused members of the public to be blinded.”
Creighton, of Inishowen Drive in Belfast, faces charges of riotous and disorderly behaviour, possession of an offensive weapon with intent, and having fireworks without a licence.
Trouble flared after crowds attended an anti-immigration rally outside Belfast City Hall on August 3.
Creighton was arrested after being identified on CCTV recordings of an alleged attack on others who had gathered in opposition to the demonstration.
A prosecution lawyer said: “He admitted he was the male in the footage, and admitted lighting and throwing the firework at the counter-protest.”
Opposing Creighton’s bid to be released from custody, she argued that his actions were “outrageous” and that racial tensions in the city remain high.
“Whilst the large-scale public disorder has thankfully abated, the more targeted incidents against individuals have continued at an alarming rate,” counsel added.
The court heard Creighton planned to watch the football team he supports playing a pre-season friendly match when he travelled into the city centre with friends.
During police interviews he immediately accepted his guilt and expressed remorse at becoming involved in the disorder.
“He didn’t bring any fireworks, his only action was to be handed the fireworks and he accepted that he lit it and threw it,” a defence barrister said.
“This is not ideological at all for this man. He has done this incredibly reckless and incredibly stupid thing in the heat of the moment.”
According to Mr Justice Humphreys, Creighton should have known better than other teenage defendants who were allegedly exploited to take part in the rioting through “misconceived excitement”.
“This situation arose out of the totally ill-advised and erroneously-based anti-immigration protest in this city centre on August 3,” the judge said.
But he also acknowledged Creighton has no relevant criminal record and is not believed to have played a leading role in organising the protests.
Based on the defendant’s specific circumstances and family support, Mr Justice Humphreys agreed to grant bail.
Creighton was ordered to abide by a curfew and banned from being with more than two other people in public.