A man has been sentenced to six months in jail for spraying racist graffiti on the Sunflower pub in central Belfast and on nearby murals.
Christopher Tyrell, 31, of Maeve House on Duncairn Parade, was sentenced after admitting to two counts of criminal damage on February 15th of this year. The offences were determined to be aggravated by racial hostility.
Belfast Magistrates’ Court heard that CCTV footage captured Tyrell spray-painting the words “N*****s not welcome, rapists” on the side of the Sunflower Bar on Union Street. Shortly after, the same racial slur and several crucifixes were found spray-painted on two murals in the New Lodge area. A TikTok video, posted by the username “Peanut Butterfly,” reportedly showed the graffiti being applied to the walls, which are owned by the Housing Executive.
During the investigation, police discovered a can of spray paint at Tyrell’s flat.
In court, Tyrell’s defence solicitor, Niall O’Neill, claimed his client’s actions were not motivated by racial hostility, stating that Tyrell’s own family is “multi-cultural.” The solicitor argued that Tyrell had stopped taking medication for delusional thoughts and had begun using steroids instead. He added that Tyrell had spent four months in custody reflecting on his actions and offered an apology.
In his sentencing, District Judge Steven Keown enhanced the sentence due to the hate-motivated nature of the crimes. He warned Tyrell that any future similar offences would result in a longer prison term, stating, “It raises the stakes in terms of his behaviour going forward.”
