Man Remanded in Custody Over Alleged Assault on Mater Hospital Staff

A 27-year-old County Antrim man has been remanded in custody following an alleged sectarian outburst and violent incident directed at staff in the Mater Hospital's Emergency Department.

James Briers, of Kilmakevit Road in Cullybackey, appeared before Belfast Magistrates’ Court facing charges of two counts of common assault, disorderly behaviour, and criminal damage following the weekend disturbance.

The court heard that police were called to the North Belfast hospital just before 2.30am on Saturday, where Briers had been restrained on the ground by security staff. A police officer told the court that the incident began when a triage nurse checked on his welfare after he had fallen asleep in the department, only to be met with aggressive verbal threats and sectarian slurs.

When hospital security intervened to escort him from the building, Briers allegedly spat directly into the eyes and mouth of one guard. A second member of the security team was struck on the side of the face, knocking off and damaging his glasses. Police stated that Briers continued shouting sectarian abuse at hospital staff and later remarked in custody that he spat at the guard because they tried to move him.

During police interviews, Briers denied all the allegations against him. His defence solicitor noted that he has struggled with substance misuse but had remained off alcohol until the night of the incident. The defence submitted that while Briers accepted having a dispute with staff after being told to move on, he strongly denied any allegations of spitting or assault.

District Judge Steven Keown refused bail, highlighting the risk of re-offending and the danger posed to the public. Emphasising that the court's priority must be protecting emergency healthcare workers, Judge Keown described the incident as an appalling set of facts.

As Briers was being led from the dock, he launched a further tirade of sectarian abuse and death threats directed at the judge. He has been remanded in custody until 21 September and may face contempt of court proceedings, with the judge indicating he will be given an opportunity to apologise for his behaviour in court.