Protestors charged with heckling President face trial

Three protesters accused of engaging in threatening and abusive language which was allegedly directed at President Michael D Higgins will face trial in March.

The abuse was allegedly directed at Mr Higgins during a water protest at Cappagh Rd in Finglas in Dublin on January 23.

Two men and a woman from Dublin are facing trial at Dublin District Court: Derek Byrne, aged 36, of Streamville Rd, Kilbarrack, Anna Clarke, aged 35, from St Donagh’s Rd, Donaghmede, and Diarmuid Dubhghlais, aged 41, of Parc Uí Mhaoiliosa, Finglas. They faced their second hearing yesterday when not guilty pleas were entered.

The Public Order Act charge can result in a fine and a sentence of up to three months. Solicitor Cahir O’Higgins, who acts for two of the defendants said there will be an issue as to whether the president can called to give evidence in the trial.

He said Mr Byrne and Anna Clarke would have a quite a few witnesses and “I have to investigate whether an tUachtaráin can been summonsed”.

Mr Byrne was present but did not address the court. Ms Clarke is out of the jurisdiction, said Mr O’Higgins.

He said she had contacted him “in somewhat distraught state and advised she had been unaware of proceedings and has not been served, I understand the sergeant will say a summons was served on [a] member of her family.”

Judge Michael Walsh ordered that Mr Byrne and Ms Clarke will face their non-jury district court trial over two days, March 8 and 9 next year.

He acceded to a request from solicitor Malachy Steenson to set a separate trial date for Mr Dubhghlais who will have his trial heard in Irish.

Mr Dubhghlais’s trial will take place at the district court on March 10 next.