Despite what they say, ‘Nam was never this bad

The Vietnam war and Lyndon B Johnson put in appearances at the Jobstown trial yesterday. It’s all a long, long way from a west Dublin enclave and water charges, but such is the meandering journey of this unique trial.

Photo credit: Broadcaster Eamon Dunphy (second left) with defendants in the Jobstown trial (from left) Frank Donaghy, Paul Murphy TD and Scott Masterson outside Dublin Circuit Criminal Court where they are charged with the false imprisonment of Joan Burton at a protest in Jobstown in 2014. Mr Dunphy was in court after proceedings. Picture: Collins Courts

Seven men are charged with the false imprisonment of Joan Burton. At the time of the incident, Ms Burton was Tánaiste in a government that was grappling with water charges. The defendants are charged with detaining her for up to three hours as part of a protest in the Tallaght suburb of Jobstown.