Patrols rise after attacks

Police have mounted special patrols to try to prevent racist attacks on Portuguese people working in a County Tyrone town, the High Court has been told.

The disclosure was made by a Crown lawyer opposing a bail application by a man accused of throwing a petrol bomb at a group of Portuguese workers returning from the night shift at a chicken factory.

Gary Smith, 21, from Lisnaclin Court, Dungannon, denies the charge.

He has told police he was in bed at his home when the incident took place near Market Square at 0245 BST on Sunday.

Crown counsel Charles McKay told the High Court in Belfast on Wednesday that the Portuguese community was being "systematically victimised" by certain elements of the local population.

"Police have set up special patrols to counter this problem," he said.

Defence barrister Gavin Wall said it was an identification case in "difficult circumstances" and could take up to a year to come to trial.

Freed on bail

Mr Justice Coghlin said it was clearly a racist attack on the Portuguese community.

He added: "It is almost beyond credibility that after 30 years of sectarian strife this community is now turning itself on foreign nationals, be they Portuguese, Chinese or from any other country.

"People take a risk in coming to this jurisdiction to take jobs that the rest of the population won't do and are then treated in this way.

"I have no doubt that those who are convicted of this type of offence will be dealt with in a most severe way because this kind of attack is completely and totally intolerable."

Mr Justice Coghlin freed Mr Smith on his own bail and ordered that he reside outside Dungannon.