Concern raised over length of time man has been in custody

A judge at Derry Magistrates' Court has expressed his concern that a man has been in custody since last August on a charge of attempted criminal damage to the War Memorial at the Diamond. 

Peter Gillespie (47) of no fixed abode is charged with attempted criminal damage and criminal damage to the memorial on August 21 last.

Grainne McAnaney counsel for the defendant said that the incident involved her client setting fire to some papers at the monument.

She said he did not accept the charge of criminal damage as he said he had recently been in Taiwan and that was one way of honouring the dead.

She said the damage had been 'minimal' and could be wiped away by hand.

A contest date for May 6 has been set but Deputy District Judge Brian Archer said that this man had 'spent a considerable period in custody' and in all likelihood had been in custody longer than any sentence. 

He asked the prosecution to look into the matter and to 'be mindful that a person is in custody' at the cost of thousands of pounds.

Ms McAnaney said her client was not prepared to plead as he felt he had done nothing wrong.

The judge adjourned the case until April 24 and asked the prosecution to look into the case.