Paul Murphy pleads not guilty to false imprisonment charge

This report is a localnews.ie summary based on public court reporting and records; sources are listed below.

Paul Murphy pleaded not guilty to falsely imprisoning Joan Burton and Karen O’Connell. The alleged offence took place during a water charges protest on Fortunestown Road, Jobstown, on 15 November 2014.

The proceedings were reported on 24 May 2017. On that day, Garda Fionnuala Whelan was giving evidence on day 19 of the trial at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. She told the jury she feared for her safety and that of the two alleged victims as she escorted them through a crowd.

Seán Guerin SC, defending Murphy, suggested that the situation had become stable after protesters surrounded a car and that Garda Whelan upset that stability when she went to manhandle his client. She denied manhandling him and rejected the suggestion that the situation was stable, saying it was extremely volatile.

The trial was continuing before Judge Melanie Greally and a jury.