Sean Lucey pleads not guilty to assault and camera damage

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

Garda Sean Lucey has pleaded not guilty to assault causing harm to RTÉ cameraman Colm Hand on Cathedral Street, Dublin, on 6 February 2016, and to damaging his camera. The proceedings were reported on 10 December 2019. The trial continued before Judge Melanie Greally and a jury.

RTÉ reporter Colman O’Sullivan said he and Hand were moving across a garda line to leave a confrontation when a garda advanced and hit the camera with a baton. He said the same garda then struck Hand in the groin. Hand said the blow was painful and he later saw bruising across his leg and groin.

Hand denied under cross-examination that he had failed to comply with an order to move back. O’Sullivan agreed that, if weapons appeared or crowd dispersal techniques were used, it would be appropriate to withdraw. He also said neither he nor Hand had RTÉ or press logos on their clothes or camera.

Mark Malone, a steward at the anti-racism protest, said he saw the camera being struck and then saw a baton hit the lower part of the camera operator’s body. Garda Michael Dibley, who was in the public order unit, said the situation became extremely hostile and gardaí were outnumbered. He said he had seen colleagues disarmed, punched and kicked, and feared for his own safety and theirs.