Details emerged as a 27-year-old man accused of being part of the group who targeted the couriers on the same night sought release on bail
A crowd surrounded a “terrified” food delivery driver and threw hot coffee at him as part of two separate racial attacks in East Belfast, the High Court heard today.
Prosecutors said both ethnic minority victims were blocked in while parts of their cars were ripped off near a fast-food restaurant in the Connswater area.
Details emerged as a 27-year-old man accused of being part of the group who targeted the couriers on the same night sought release on bail.
Cameron Carson, of Glenluce Walk in Belfast, faces charges of common assault, using threatening, abusive or insulting behaviour, and two counts of criminal damage.
The court heard a Romanian national was singled out after he got into his Volkswagen Golf at the Connswater retail park on September 8 this year. Multiple people surrounded the car, ripped the rear window wiper and kicked the panels.
As the man tried to reverse away, members of the group pushed back against the vehicle and attempted to remove the key to stop him leaving. Prosecution counsel Iryna Kennedy said: “The group also personally attacked him by throwing hot coffee at him, causing an injury to his arm.”
Although the victim fled before police arrived, he later recalled being in fear and believing the crowd targeted him due to his nationality.
Mrs Kennedy claimed CCTV footage from the scene showed Carson running over to kick the vehicle three times before shouting at the man to get out while clenching his fists. In a separate racially-aggravated incident at Connswater that night the group stopped and blocked another delivery driver in his vehicle.
That man, a Sudanese national, described being so scared that he remained inside a nearby McDonald’s restaurant for up to two hours.
“Considerable damage was inflicted to the car, including flat tyres, dents, large scratches to the paintwork, registration plates broken off and a mirror was ripped off,” Mrs Kennedy disclosed.
Based on the footage, she contended Carson acted as a look-out while another member of the crowd initially damaged the licence plate. Once the registration was removed he allegedly threw it away from the car.
Carson faces separate charges of obstructing traffic and blocking a road in connection with an anti-immigration demonstration in the Shankill Road area of Belfast on September 2.
Up to 30 people gathered while a large banner declared concerned residents’ opposition to “forced mass uncontrolled, unvetted illegal immigration into our community”. A number of people claiming to be “civilian journalists” were also present at the scene.
Carson was allegedly among a smaller number who ignored PSNI warnings by remaining on the road to block traffic. Police identified and arrested him for both incidents on October 29.
During interviews accepted being in footage at Connswater but claimed to believe one of the drivers did not have an MOT certificate for his car, the court heard. A defence barrister acknowledged the attacks on the two men’s vehicles were “very nasty”.
Stressing that Carson currently denies the charges, she also argued his alleged role was less than other members of the crowd.
Lady Chief Justice Dame Siobhan Keegan indicated that accounts provided by both delivery drivers show they were “terrified” by what happened.
Adjourning the bail application, she asked for Carson’s views on education courses aimed at building relationships with ethnic minorities.
“I have problems with people going back into the community where they take it upon themselves to terrify other members of the community,” the judge said.
“It’s up to him. People can’t come to this court thinking this type of behaviour is alright, or that we are going to tolerate it.”
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