A student allegedly spotted throwing a petrol bomb at police during rioting in east Belfast only went to have a look because of Snapchat notifications, the High Court has heard.
Prosecutors claimed Cameron Armstrong was “heavily involved” in street violence in the Connswater area on August 7.
But the 18-year-old, of Lewis Gardens in the city, denies taking part and claims he fled the scene as soon as trouble flared.
Armstrong, who faces a charge of riotous assembly, was granted bail to live under curfew with relatives in Co Down.
Mr Justice McFarland ruled: “He needs to get out of Belfast and the associations he has had with others.
”Police came under attack in the area from a large crowd throwing masonry, fireworks and other projectiles as part of wider outbreaks of racially-motivated disorder across Belfast earlier this month.
A Crown lawyer said a PSNI helicopter tracked one of the suspected rioters and alerted officers on the ground as he broke off and ran from the Connswater area.
Armstrong was located a short time later at his home wearing just a grey pair of tracksuit bottoms.
A black North Face jacket seized from the property matched the description of the individual provided by air support observers.
Armstrong told police he had been at home that day with his mother and sister.
“He said he went to Connswater at the time of the disorder because he had witnessed posts on Snapchat about it,” counsel submitted.
“He said that he was just watching what was happening and he ran when he saw a petrol bomb being thrown and police approaching.
”With Armstrong alleged to have discarded an item as he ran, he claimed that it was just a dropped e-cigarette.
Asked about his alleged heavy involvement in the disturbances, the prosecution barrister replied: “Air support CCTV observed an individual they state is the defendant lighting a petrol bomb and throwing it towards a passing PSNI vehicle, then taking something else from another individual and throwing it at a passing PSNI vehicle.”
Armstrong has not been charged with possessing or throwing any devices. Opposing bail, counsel argued that despite a reduction in street disorder, racial tensions remain high.
“There are no more riots, but it appears to have moved to specific targeting of migrant-owned businesses,” she said.
An attack on Wednesday, when a restaurant in Newtownabbey was set alight and racist graffiti scrawled on the walls, was cited as part of the ongoing concerns.
“It is well publicised that a number of members of the migrant community are living in fear,” she said.
“There is a concern that this young man, with no previous involvement in any offending of any kind, has allegedly begun his criminal career in such a brutal and dangerous fashion.
”Michael Boyd, defending, disputed the evidence to suggest his client attacked police during the disorder.
“Having heard about it on social media, he went out along with countless other young people but he very strongly denies throwing anything at any stage,” he stressed.
Mr Boyd told the court Armstrong has found being held in custody a “harrowing experience”.
Granting bail to the teenager, Mr Justice McFarland banned him from being in the company of more than two others in public.
