Shouts of "UVF" and "F--Billy Wright", together with snatches of party songs, punctuated the proceedings in Craigavon Courthouse on Saturday when 12 men from the North Belfast area appeared at a special court. Around 40 of their supporters, sitting in the public gallery, kept interrupting the proceedings, leading the Resident Magistrate, Ms Beneta Boyd, to call for silence and warn that if the disturbances continued it might be necessary to ask them to leave.
In the dock, handcuffed and heavily guarded, were Mr Clark Wallace (28), unemployed, York Park, Shore Road; Mr Ronald Bowe (20), shop assistant, Ross House, Mount Vernon Park; Mr James Dodds (22), shipyard worker, Parkmount Parade; Mr David Hugh Miller (26), unemployed, York Park; Mr Gary Stockman (34), plater, Fairhill Park; Mr Mark Haddock (28), unemployed, Mount Vernon Gardens; Mr Albert Andrew Ferran (29), boatman, Seaview Drive; Mr William Logue (19), unemployed, Ross House; Mr Darren Stuart Moore (27), unemployed, Alexandra Park Avenue; Mr Mark Alan Quail (23), unemployed, Ballyronan Park, Rathcoole; Mr Gary Haggarty (25), unemployed, Mount Vernon Park and Mr John Patterson Hill (26), unemployed, Gainsborough Drive.
They were charged with having, on August 20th, been in possession of a revolver and seven rounds of ammunition with intent to endanger life or cause serious injury to property. They were also charged that on the same date they were in possession of a revolver, ammunition, an imitation firearm, sledgehammers, cudgels, gloves and an inflammable liquid. They were further accused of having on the same date damaged by fire the Golden Hind public house in Portadown, belonging to Mr John Robinson.
Evidence was given by an RUC detective sergeant that when arrested, charged and cautioned, the defendants denied the charges. The witness said he believed he could connect all the defendants to the charges.
On the application of an RUC inspector who prosecuted, all 12 defendants were remanded in custody to Lisburn Magistrates' Court sitting at the Maze Prison on September 10th. There was an exceptionally strong police presence, and everyone entering the building was searched.