Belfast is grappling with a disturbing trend: a sustained campaign of arson targeting 5G masts.This week, 45-year-old Michael Clarke, of Monagh Road, appeared in Belfast Magistrates Court charged with two attacks that occurred on the same night in June 2023, in the west of the city. He was remanded in custody after being denied bail.

The case, while focused on Clarke, reveals a wider network fueled by risky conspiracy theories.Police have linked 26 arson attacks on masts in the area since 2023 to individuals influenced by misinformation. The initial damage estimate of £4 million is now considered a critically important underestimate, reflecting the escalating cost of these attacks.

evidence presented in court