Reclaim the Streets inspector 'ordered batons put away'

A garda inspector who was on duty at the "Reclaim the Streets" demonstration on May 6, 2002, told a jury he ordered gardaí to put their batons away when he saw them being used on the crowd.

Inspector Brendan Connolly of Pearse Street Garda Station was giving evidence on day four of the trial of Garda Donal Corcoran, who is accused of striking three protesters with his baton.

Gda Corcoran, of Mountjoy Garda Station, has pleaded not guilty to three counts of assault causing harm to Oisín Breen, Butterfield Park, Rathfarnham; Katie Crean, New Cabra Road, Dublin 7 and Brian Hayden, Knockmore Grove, Tallaght on May 6, 2002.

Insp Connolly told Mr Patrick J McCarthy SC (with Mr Breffini Gordon BL), defending, that the atmosphere in the early part of demonstration was good-humoured and jovial.

However, when he arrived on Dame Street at about 6pm that evening he noted the demonstrators in the front line of the march appeared to be aggressive.

"I perceived a loss of control by the organisers of the demonstration and the more troublesome people were more prominent."

He said that at this stage some protesters were throwing cans and coins at gardaí and spitting on them. He noted gardaí had taken out their batons and he felt it necessary to order them to withdraw their batons and move away from the crowd.

Detective Inspector Colm Featherstone, the senior investigator in the case, said that a baton should only be aimed at the arms and legs, and the head should not be struck to avoid causing serious injury.

Det Insp Featherstone, who was attached to Pearse Street Garda Station on May Day 2002, read from a Garda code of regulations, detailing the 13 circumstances under which a baton should be used by gardaí.

He said batons should only be used in self defence or when a garda feels threatened or overpowered. Batons may also be used to disperse a crowd but only when no other methods have proved successful and under the direction of the Garda member in charge.

Mr McCarthy recalled Mr Oisín Breen to the stand and suggested to him that he was wrong in the evidence he gave, identifying his client as the man who hit him.

"You are entitled to your suggestion but I disagree," Mr Breen replied.

Mr Sean Gillane BL (with Mr Tom O’Connell SC), prosecuting, read from the statement of Colm Ó Briain, a friend of Mr Breen’s, who attended the demonstration with him.

Mr Ó Briain said he witnessed Mr Breen being struck on the head by a garda in the vicinity of Parliament Street, but he could not identify the perpetuator, as the garda was not facing him.

He also said that he himself had been hit a number of times on the legs with batons carried by gardaí and that a number of the gardaí present did not wear ID badges.

The trial continues before Judge Yvonne Murphy and a jury of eight women and four men.