Burton feared protesters getting car doors open

Former tánaiste Joan Burton has told a court she was frightened and did not think she had the alternative of being able to get out of a garda car surrounded by people shouting abuse during the Jobstown water protest.

She was giving evidence on day one of the trial of a Dublin youth, aged 17, accused of falsely imprisoning her and her adviser, Karen O’Connell, during the demonstration at the Fortunestown Rd in Jobstown in Tallaght, Dublin, on November 15, 2014.

The teen was aged 15 at the time and is being tried before Judge John King at the Dublin Children’s Court. He denies the charges.