Robinson cautioned over Belfast road closure

Northern Ireland Regional Development Minister Peter Robinson could be prosecuted for blocking a road, it emerged last night.

Northern Ireland Regional Development Minister Peter Robinson could be prosecuted for blocking a road, it emerged last night.

The East Belfast MP, whose department is responsible for the maintenance of the North's roads, was cautioned by police on Saturday.

He and Democratic Unionist Party colleague Ms Ruth Patterson stopped traffic on the Albertbridge Road near the nationalist Short Strand area of east Belfast to enable residents of the loyalist Cluan Place area to enjoy a street party.

The area suffered violent sectarian clashes during the summer, although it has been relatively quiet in the last month.

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Ms Patterson said she and Mr Robinson had no regrets. "The residents of Cluan Place wanted to enjoy a street party but were informed by police that names would be taken and people cautioned if the road was blocked," she said.

"They have been through a terrible time of it in recent months and all they wanted to do was celebrate getting over it so well, and the fact that things were gradually getting back to normal".

A police spokesman confirmed a man and a woman were spoken to by police and that a file is being prepared for the DPP.

PA