Nine in court over public disorder near Rathcoole

Mark Nicholl of Inveresk Park, Christopher Thompson of Green End, Alan Joseph Paul Heaney of Innisfayle Gardens, all 19 stand accused of various rioting offences along with 22-year-old Jamie Colgan of Tulleevin Drive and another 16-year-old male.

All were released on £500 bail and given a curfew between 8pm and 7am except for Nicholl whose hours were restricted to between 9pm and 5.30am.

Judge Fiona Bagnall said if tensions eased she would look at relaxing the curfews.

They were also told by the judge not to go within 500 metres of any parade or protest.

All men are listed to appear in court again in the New Year.

A riot charge against another 19-year-old man was withdrawn due to a lack of evidence linking him to the trouble near Rathcoole.

It emerged that his legal team had also brought emergency High Court proceedings on Sunday to challenge the case being made against him.

Meanwhile, two 13-year-old boys, a 14-year-old and a 16-year-old were all due to appear in Youth Court on Monday charged with various rioting offences over the weekend.

None of the youths can be named because of their ages. They were all granted bail, but also banned from going near any future protests.