Street preacher charged with resisting police
A MAN who hands out Gospel tracts on Saturdays on the streets of Coleraine has appeared at the town’s magistrates court charged with disorderly behaviour and resisting police.
David Campbell McConnell (60) has been charged following an alleged incident on Saturday, March 31, this year in the Park Street area of Coleraine.
The alleged circumstances have yet to be outlined to the court, but it is understood he was handing out Gospel tracts to passers-by on the date in question.
The defendant is a son of the late Willie John McConnell, who once was given an MBE for his services to the railway industry but hit the headlines when he won the £3.8m on the lottery in 1995.
David McConnell, of Liswatty Road in Ballyrashane near Coleraine, was wearing a suit, shirt and tie as he appeared in the dock.
A police officer said she believed she could connect him to the charges.
A prosecutor said the defendant did not turn up at an earlier hearing and an arrest warrant had been issued but it had then been served “by arrangement”.
The prosecutor said there were no objections to bail.
McConnell told District Judge Liam McNally that although he “honoured him” as a judge “on earth” the Lord was his “saviour”.
A defence lawyer told the court the defendant understood the charges.
The defendant asked if he could address the court and said he was “not guilty”.
McConnell told the court he had told the PSNI the “RUC was a good police force”.
Judge McNally freed the defendant on his own bail of £200 and adjourned the case until mid-May to fix a date for a contest.