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Riot suspect's dad 'spotted press photo'
02 August 2010 --
A teenager accused of rioting in north Belfast handed himself in to police after
his father recognised his photo in the press, a court heard on Monday.
Christopher McKeating is alleged to have travelled across the city to become
involved in Twelfth of July trouble which erupted in the Ardoyne area.
The 19-year-old, of Hawthorn Glen, Belfast, faces a charge of riotous assembly
in connection with disturbances surrounding a flashpoint Orange Order parade.
He was granted bail under tight conditions, including a ban on going near the
Ardoyne shopfronts and from entering the city of Derry.
A police constable who said he could connect him with the offence had opposed
his release because further contentious parades are still to take place.
The officer told Belfast Magistrates' Court McKeating was not from the scene of
the disorder but had gone there to participate in the rioting.
"The defendant travelled there with others because they heard there was going to
be a protest," he said.
It was also claimed McKeating tried to hide his identity with a scarf, but
attended a police station voluntarily on Saturday after his father spotted him
among images police released to the media last week.
He denied involvement until he was shown a compilation DVD which allegedly
showed him throwing stones, the court heard.
The accused's social worker father John McKeating gave evidence to "guarantee"
he would not be allowed near Ardoyne if granted bail.
Mr McKeating told the court how he spotted his son's photo in the newspaper.
"I talked to him and at the time he was very, very nervous," he said.
Mr McKeating said he urged his son to go to police and "argue his case" when he
at first denied being involved.
"He is very naive. I can only apologise on his behalf," the accused's father
added.
Defence solicitor Michael Madden said the teenager came from a respectable
family who were shocked by what had happened.
The lawyer told the court: "He (the accused) wasn't there to help organise the
riot. He came there with other people when he was on his way home from another
part of north Belfast. Curiosity got the better of him."
Despite police objections, District Judge Fiona Bagnall said conditions could be
imposed to manage the risk of releasing McKeating on bail.
She imposed a curfew and banned him from being within 500 metres of any loyal
order parades.
He was also prohibited from going within 200 metres of the Ardoyne shopfronts,
excluded from the Ardoyne Road and ordered to keep out of Derry.
McKeating was bailed to appear again in court in September.
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