Londonderry: Two men found guilty after illegal dissident parade

Two men who were prosecuted following an illegal parade in Londonderry at Easter 2023 have been found guilty of offences linked to dissident republican activities.

Patrick Anthony Gallagher (34), of Raftery Close in Derry, was convicted of managing a meeting in support of a proscribed organisation, namely the IRA.

Stephen Martin Murney (42) of Derrybeg Terrace in Newry, was found guilty of addressing a meeting in support of the IRA on 10 April, 2023.

Their two co-accused from Derry – 50-year-old Thomas Ashe Mellon, of Glendermott Road and 53-year-old Jason Lee Ceulemans of Creevagh Heights – were found not guilty of managing and addressing a meeting in support of the IRA.

The non-jury, Diplock-style trial took place at Belfast Crown Court last year and the verdicts were delivered on Friday by Judge Gordon Kerr KC.

The men’s trial had been told that the unnotified parade took place on 10 April 2023 along a half-mile route from Central Drive in Creggan to Derry City Cemetery.

Republicans traditionally stage parades to commemorate the anniversary of the Easter Rising which began on Easter Monday 1916.

During the 2023 incident, police were attacked with petrol bombs and four viable pipe bombs were later found in the graveyard where pro-IRA speeches were made.

The parade had been under police observation when it set off that afternoon and the prosecution alleged that Murney and Gallagher were “standing in front of the crowd” when it passed Creggan shops.

The marchers included a colour party dressed in military-style clothing who were wearing black berets and dark glasses.