Witnesses saw gardaí beating friend, court hears

Two witnesses have told a jury that they saw gardaí beat a school teacher friend with batons as he lay on the ground during the May Day 2002 "Reclaim the Streets" demonstration.

Garda Paul Daly and Garda Fergus Hogan, who are both attached to Pearse Street Garda Station, have pleaded not guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to assault causing harm to Mr Emmet Bunting (aged 28) on May 6, 2002.

Mr Diarmuid Russell (aged 26) of Youghal, Co Cork and Mr Joseph Wicks (aged 25) of Loughrea, Co Galway, said they saw their friend Mr Bunting being assaulted by gardaí while lying on the ground at the junction of Parliament Street and Dame Street.

Mr Russell, who said he had also been with Mr Bunting when they were both assaulted at Trinity St, told Mr Gerard Clarke SC (with Mr Breffni Gordon BL) defending, he hadn’t mentioned Mr Bunting’ s assault to gardaí in his first statement because it only concerned his own assault.

Mr Bernard Condon (with Mr Tom O’Connell SC), prosecuting, interjected to note that Mr Russell’s statement included the claim that "they (the gardaí) were beating our arms and legs".

Mr Russell said he tried to get Mr Bunting away from gardaí when he saw him being assaulted on Parliament Street but he was dragged away and beaten with batons himself.

Mr Wicks said his attention was drawn to a man lying on Parliament Street surrounded by gardaí but he did not recognise it as Mr Bunting.

He later saw his friend propped up against a wall outside City Hall. His face was bashed and covered in blood, his legs were weak and people were holding him up. He went to Mr Bunting and stayed with him until an ambulance arrived.

The trial continues before Judge Yvonne Murphy and a jury of seven men and five women.