Ards shopping centre attack: Four men appear in court

The attack happened on Friday afternoon in the Circular Road area of the town

Four men have appeared in court charged in connection with an attack in a shopping centre in Newtownards, County Down.

Three of the accused, who appeared at court in Downpatrick via videolink, charged with the assault of a man.

All four were charged with disorderly behaviour and affray.

The alleged attack happened at Ards Shopping Centre in the Circular Road area of the town on Friday afternoon.

It followed an incident earlier that day in the Ashfield Drive area of Donaghadee for which all four have been further charged with making threats to kill and affray.

The incidents occurred amid several days of disorder in the Ards and North Down area linked to a feud between rival loyalist factions previously associated with the Ulster Defence Association (UDA).

A Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) detective told Downpatrick Magistrates' Court that the attack in the shopping centre was not believed to be connected to the ongoing feud. However, the court heard the alleged incident in Donaghadee was.

Ryan Johnston, 29, Curtis Johnston, 24, and Karl O'Neill, 38, were charged with common assault, affray and disorderly behaviour, following the incident in the shopping centre.

Colin Adair, 36, was charged with affray and disorderly behaviour.

They appeared before Downpatrick Magistrates' Court via videolink.

Their addresses are not to be reported for the protection of their family members given the ongoing feud, the court heard.

However, three of the men are from the Ards and North Down area, and one is from Belfast.

Denying all four men bail, the judge said that given their alleged involvement in the incident in Donaghadee, which police believe is linked to the ongoing loyalist feud, there was a risk of reoffending.

All four are to reappear before Newtownards Magistrates' Court on 5 April.