Colum Eastwood court case over pro-Palestine rally put back to July

By Gráinne Ní Aodha, PA

A case in which former SDLP leader Colum Eastwood is charged in relation to taking part in an "unnotified parade" in Derry has been put back until July.

The charge relates to a pro-Palestinian rally that took place last February at Derry’s War Memorial in the Diamond area of the city centre.

After speeches, participants walked to Derry’s Guildhall.

Under the North’s legislation governing parades and processions, the organisers of such events must apply in advance to the Parades Commission adjudication body for permission to march.

Mr Eastwood (42) is one of five people facing prosecution in relation to the event on February 14th last year.

The court heard that more time was needed to allow for representations being made in relation to a request made by two defendants to Northern Ireland’s Public Prosecution Service (PPS) to review the basis for pursuing the case.

The two defendants who have already requested the review are university lecturer Goretti Horgan (69), from Westland Avenue in Derry, and fellow pro-Palestinian activist Davina Pulis (36), from Knoxhill Avenue in the city.

The court had heard previously that Mr Eastwood is also set to challenge the basis for prosecuting him.

Barrister Joe Brolly said in court on Tuesday that he represented “well-known SDLP man” Mr Eastwood in the case and asked for the matter to be put back further.

He said there was a “substantial amount of law to get through” and they were in process of making a formal request for a review to the PPS.

The matter was put back five weeks and will be heard again on July 8th.