Northern Ireland

Derry republican Thomas Ashe Mellon to stand trial on charges linked to dissident parade

Accused is charged with addressing a meeting to encourage support for the IRA

Thomas Ashe Mellon
Thomas Ashe Mellon

Leading Derry republican Thomas Ashe Mellon has been returned for trial to the Crown Court on two charges linked to a dissident republican parade in the city in April last year.

Mellon (48) of Rathmore Road in Derry appeared at a preliminary enquiry at the local magistrates court on Monday charged with organising or managing a meeting which he knew would be in support of a proscribed organisation namely the IRA on dates between February 28 and April 11 2023.

He was also charged with addressing a meeting to encourage support for the IRA on April 10.

It was accepted there was a case to answer and there were no contrary submissions.

Mellon said he did not want to call any witnesses or make any statement at this stage.

The court heard that police were seeking bail conditions on the defendant.

Defence solicitor Paddy MacDermott said three of the proposed conditions posed no problems being a residency requirement and not to attend meetings or events in support of violence.

The solicitor objected to the condition that would have prohibited Mellon from having contact with his co-accused in the case.

Mr MacDermott said that this was a year and a half since the alleged offence and the defendant was on a summons and in that period could have associated with anyone he liked.

District Judge Barney McElholm accepted that and refused to impose that condition.

Mellon was returned for trial to the Crown Court on a date to be fixed and released on bail.