Court denies injunction to DCU student

The High Court has refused an application made by a DCU student to place an injunction to stop six national newspapers from identifying him.

Eoin McKeogh sought the injunction following an earlier battle over an online video that wrongly implied he had not paid a taxi fare.

At today's ruling, the High Court judge Mr. Justice Michael Peart said that it was incredible to think that a video of a man, who ran off without paying a taxi fare in Monkstown in Dublin last November, could lead to a High Court case with legal fees likely to amount to the cost of a "sufficient house" anywhere in Ireland.

He said he was completely satisfied that Eoin McKeogh was not the man in the taxi on that date, as he had produced a boarding card proving he was in Japan at the time of the offence, and the taxi driver later admitted in court that Mr McKeogh was not the person he picked up that night.

He said unfortunately the court does not have a magic wand and the damage has already been done.

The court heard that a person, using the pseudonym - Daithi 14U - had indicated on YouTube last December that he or she thought it was Eoin McKeogh in the video, and this is what has led to this court case.

However, Mr Justice Michael Peart said the courts are required to administer justice in public and that this requirement far exceeds the right to privacy.

Therefore, he refused Mr McKeogh's application for an injunction to stop six national newspapers - The Irish Examiner, The Star, The Independent, The Sunday Times, The Evening Herald and The Irish Times from naming or identifying him.

An application for costs has been adjourned until Friday, February 10.