A north Belfast man allegedly sprayed “vile” race-hate graffiti on the side of a popular city centre pub and over murals near his home, a court heard today.
Christopher Tyrell, 30, is accused of defacing both the Sunflower Bar and street art in the New Lodge area.
Tyrell, of Maeve House on Duncairn Parade, faces two charges of carrying out the criminal damage on Saturday.
He was refused bail and remanded in custody after a judge ruled it was not safe to release him into the community.
Belfast Magistrates’ Court heard staff at the bar on Union Street reported a man was spray-painting the side of their building with the phrase “N*****s not welcome, rapists”.
The incident was captured on CCTV footage, according to an investigating PSNI officer.
A short time later police were informed that two murals in the New Lodge area of the city had been spray-painted with the same phrase, along with a number of images of crucifixes.
Other members of the public claimed Tyrell came out onto the balcony of his home to justify his alleged actions.
It was also disclosed that a TikTok video posted by an account username “Peanut Butterfly” showed the graffiti being applied to the walls, which belong to the Housing Executive.
Police arrested Tyrell at the Maeve House accommodation block and seized a tin of spray paint from his flat.
Opposing bail, the officer described the offences as hate-motivated crime.
“There is a lot of public feeling about this incident, given the type of murals in the New Lodge and also because of the frankly vile words that were used,” he said.
“Police are worried that the defendant could be at risk because members of the community know where he lives.
“He poses a risk to the community, spreading hate.”
Defence solicitor Niall O’Neill told the court Tyrell has a psychiatric condition.
“They are unedifying facts, there is no doubt about that,” the lawyer acknowledged.
Mr O’Neill accepted his client could not go back to live in the New Lodge, but suggested he could be released if he obtained alternative accommodation.
During the hearing Tyrell made a number of outbursts and unsubstantiated claims about a girl from Belfast being raped.
He also declared: “I have mental health issues.”
District Judge Steven Keown remanded Tyrell in custody until March 10 and ordered him to undergo psychiatric assessments.
“Bail is refused due to the risk of re-offending and risk of harm to himself and others,” Mr Keown confirmed.
“I’m not satisfied that he could be safely released into the community.”
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