TD Paul Murphy told an RTÉ news reporter that former Tánaiste Joan Burton was detained as part of a “peaceful protest”, his trial at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court has heard.

Update 6.47pm: Former Tánaiste Joan Burton has denied that she was “relaxed” in the car in which she was allegedly falsely imprisoned during a water charges protest.

Former Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection Joan Burton has said that it was her “absolute conviction” that “protest in Ireland is a sacred right”, but said it was also her conviction that it should be peaceful protest.

Former Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection Joan Burton said she “ran for her life” after the car she was traveling in was surrounded by anti-water charge protesters in Dublin on November 15, 2014.

A jury has been selected for the trial of Solidarity TD Paul Murphy and six other men on charges of falsely imprisoning Joan Burton in Tallaght in 2014.

A teenager found guilty of the false imprisonment of Joan Burton during the Jobstown protest has commenced proceedings to have his conviction overturned.

A detective inspector has told the Jobstown trial that he did not mention the teenage accused in his original statement as there were hundreds of people around.

Socialist Party TD Paul Murphy has admitted he is worried about the prospect of being charged for the false imprisonment of the Tánaiste last year and said it was possible people could go to jail.

A 17-year-old boy arrested over a car hi-jacking of a retired garda, which was likened by judge to a scene from the hit American hit TV programme 'The Wire', was remanded on continuing bail today.