Courts / Dublin / Report
Solidarity TD and co-accused "plainly involved" in restricting Joan Burton's liberty, prosecution say
Summary
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Solidarity TD Paul Murphy (34) and six other water‑charge protesters were accused of "plainly involving" themselves in restricting the liberty of then Tánaiste Joan Burton and her adviser Karen O'Connell on 15 November 2014. The prosecution alleged that the men, including councillors Kieran Mahon (39) and Michael Murphy (53), had surrounded a garda jeep carrying Burton and O'Connell, preventing its movement and effectively trapping the two women for about two hours. The case was presented by Sean Gillane SC, who described the incident as an intentional or reckless restriction of liberty without consent, a form of false imprisonment under the 1997 Non‑Fatal Offences Act. All seven men entered not‑guilty pleas; the trial continues before Judge Melanie Greally. The prosecution's narrative focused on the alleged obstruction of the jeep and the failure of gardaí to move the vehicle, while the defendants maintained their innocence.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Solidarity TD and co-accused "plainly involved" in restricting Joan Burton's liberty, prosecution say. Procedural stage: sentence
When:
- November 15, 2014 Incident
- 2017-04-26 Publication
Why: "A view is no more privileged or worthy of protection because it is shared by people in power or because it is held by people in protest," he said. CNI source report
Places mentioned
- Dublin
- Dublin Circuit Criminal Court
- Fortunestown Road
- Kingswood Heights
- Tallaght
- Whitechurch
- Whitechurch Way
- Dublin
- Carrigmore Drive
Topics
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