High Court releases cherry-picker protester

THE High Court has ordered the release of a man who was placed in custody yesterday morning following a protest in which a cherry-picker bedecked with anti-government slogans was parked outside the gates of Leinster House.

Mr Justice Michael Peart made an order releasing Joe McNamara, 41, from custody after his counsel Michael O’Higgins SC argued he was being unlawfully detained.

McNamara, of Dún na Carraige, Blackrock, Co Galway, was remanded after being charged with dangerous driving at Dublin District Court. He reportedly owes nationalised Anglo Irish Bank €3.5m. He is also on bail for criminal damage charges, after allegedly engaging in a similar protest involving a cement-mixer daubed with the words “Anglo Toxic Bank” at the gates of the Oireachtas last September.