Reclaim the Streets gardaí identified on tape by superiors

Senior officers have identified each of the three gardaí on trial at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.

The three are accused of beating a Reclaim the Streets protestor on the head with their batons in May 2002.

Inspector Brendan Connolly told the jury that after witnessing an incident in the College Green area he stepped between protesters and gardaí and ordered the gardaí to replace their drawn batons in their pockets.

Gardaí Ronan Judge and Thomas Victory of Store Street Garda Station, and Garda Paul Daly from Pearse Street Station have all denied assaulting Mr Rory McMonagle (aged 23) of Neville Road, Rathgar, Dublin, on May 6, 2002.

Chief Superintendent Gerard Byrne and Superintendent Francis Clarke of Store Street pointed out Gardaí Victory and Judge, on video film footage, to prosecuting counsel Mr John O’Kelly SC (with Mr Luan O Braonáin BL).

Inspectors Daniel Quill and Connolly of Pearse Street Station pointed out Gda Daly in the film footage.

Chief Supt Byrne told defence counsel, Mr Patrick J McCarthy SC (with Mr Breffni Gordon BL), that he knew both Gardaí Victory and Judge as they were members of his district force and added that both were excellent gardaí who had never given him any difficulty.

Supt Clarke told Mr McCarthy he identified Gda Judge in the film frame from the colour of his hair and the way he moved, though he could only see the back of his head on the video.

"All I can say is that it appears to me to be Gda Judge. I can only say I’m nearly sure it is Gda Judge," he said, and added in agreement with Mr McCarthy that he had made identification mistakes in his life like most people.

Supt Clarke also told Mr McCarthy that gardaí didn’t know who the organisers of the protest were and when he arrived at the starting point he and another officer went into the crowd, as was normal, to find out who was in charge, but nobody would interact with the gardaí or talk to them.

There was an internet site with details about the planned protest which gardaí investigated and which referred to the Public Order Act with advice as to what anyone arrested should do. Gardaí were briefed in advance that there would be people present with cameras.

Inst Quill told Mr McCarthy, in cross-examination, he was "quite certain" it was Gda Daly he identified in the film.

He couldn’t say who other "fair-haired" gardaí pointed out to him by counsel in the same frame were as he didn’t know them, nor could he identify Gda Daly in earlier frames of the same film.

Inspt Connolly told Mr O’Kelly that individual gardaí who became isolated could draw their batons if they felt threatened but gardaí in a group only drew them on instruction.

He said he only knew Gda Daly "slightly" at the time as he (the witness) had not been at Pearse Street very long and he had not briefed him on work

Earlier, the jury heard evidence from three civilian witnesses who took video film of parts of the demonstration.

Ms Róisín Ní Aoláin, an art student at the time, Ms Clare Connolly, a production co-ordinator with RTÉ Interactive, and Mr Cian O’Callaghan, then a student but now full-time-employed Youth Officer with the Labour Party identified various pieces of film shown to the jury variously as their work.

The hearing continues before Judge Yvonne Murphy.