Another triumph for the forces of law and order today as seventeen members of a loyalist flute band were cleared of defying a ban on them marching past a Catholic Church in North Belfast in August 2012.

BBC News 4/3/2014

Those accused had been charged with failing to comply with a Parades Commission ruling on the Young Conway Volunteers passing St Patrick's Church.  But a judge dismissed the case against all of the defendants because it could not be proved they knew about the determination despite being told about the determination, big signs being put up informing them about the determination and leaflets being handed out reminding them about the determination.

A month earlier the Shankill Road-based Young Conway Volunteers had been filmed walking in circles outside the church on Donegall Street and following that incident the Parades Commission ruled that it should not pass St Patrick's on the 'Black Saturday' event.


The defence argued that because there were loads of people there they wouldn't have been able to see the big signs informing them that the parade was unlawful. Sounds legit.

Acquitting all 17 accused, Judge Nixon said: "The standard of beyond reasonable doubt has to be established. "On these facts the case against these defendants is dismissed."

So that's good.

But wait...

It would appear that some people in court today were fearing the worst and taking the opportunity to take photographs of the accused in the courtroom and posting them on Facebook.


Not a good idea given past rulings on this practice.


Being good law abiding citizens we have edited those photos showing the interior of the courtroom but we're happy to supply them to anyone outraged enough to make a compliant to the authorities.

As for the photographer, the so-called 'Ulster Man' a.k.a. Toy Soldier joined his chums after the court case for a celebrity pint or three


 Bottoms up Gordon.