


Two Derry republicans have removed electronic tagging devices which they were ordered to wear by a District Judge as part of their bail conditions.
The pair, Paul Hutcheon and Gavin Deery, both members of the 32 County Sovereignty Movement (32CSM), appeared in court on Tuesday charged with threatening to kill a 41 year-old woman and detaining her in her home.
They were ordered to wear electronic tags around their ankles as part of their bail
conditions but yesterday both men removed them. The men were also given a curfew of being at agreed addresses from 8pm to 8am each day.
Tampering with an electronic tag is a criminal offence and both men told the 'Journal' that they were prepared to go to jail rather than wear the tags. They also said they now expect to be arrested and taken into custody.
Paul Hutcheon said: "I only allowed myself to be tagged because I had a number of personal affairs to sort out. My girlfriend is pregnant so a curfew is a non-starter for me because she could need to go to the hospital. I am also a carer for my mother and a curfew would not allow me to go to her if she needed me.
"Tags like this are usually given to sex offenders and I'm not prepared to wear one," he said.
Gavin Deery said: "I have a 24 hour breakdown service and I can't do that with a curfew and a tag. I am a republican and I'm not prepared to wear a tag like this. The only reason I took it was to give me a few days to get things sorted," he said.
A spokesperson for the 32 CSM said: "The introduction of electronic tags is yet another example of Britain's criminalisation policy against republicans. Tags are usually served on serious sex offenders and republicans will not wear them.
"The British courts will now be able to hold republicans for lenghtly periods of time on remand in the full knowledge that republicans will not accept these attempts to criminalise them."
At a court hearing on Saturday morning (pictured above) the pair were remanded in custady.