A 21-year-old Derry man has been convicted of handling stolen goods after police found emblems associated with the Orange Order in his van. Liam Gallagher, of Quarry Street in the Brandywell area, denied two charges of handling stolen goods and receiving stolen goods, but was found guilty at Londonderry Magistrates Court.

A police officer told the court that Gallagher was stopped in his van for motoring issues on July 27 last year. A search of the van uncovered the items, which included emblems referencing William of Orange, Lest We Forget, and King Charles.

Gallagher claimed he found the items at a bonfire site in the Bogside area and removed them to prevent them from being burned. In a later interview, he said he did not agree with such items being burned on bonfires and intended to contact police the next day, but was going on holiday.

The court heard the items had been stolen from Broughshane Community Society outside Ballymena in County Antrim, though no evidence placed Gallagher near Ballymena.

District Judge Suzanne Rice said Gallagher must have known the items were stolen and rejected his explanation for how they came to be in his van. He was convicted of both offences and fined.