'Reclaim the Streets' man discusses video evidence

A man who claims a garda him assaulted at the 2002 ‘Reclaim the Streets’ march in Dublin has identified himself on video footage of the event being struck three times by a garda with a baton.

Mr Fergal Leddy (aged 35) was giving evidence in the trial, at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, in which Garda Paul Tallon of Mountjoy Garda Station has pleaded not guilty to assault causing him harm on May 6, 2002 at Dame Street in the city centre.

Mr Leddy pointed out to prosecuting counsel Mr Thomas O’Connell SC (with Mr Bernard Condon BL), a frame in the video in which he said he could see himself lying on the ground while he protected himself from blows.

Mr Leddy described the ‘Reclaim the Streets’ march as a protest against "the consistently bad planning in the city and the poisonous and antisocial modes of transport used". He arrived there on a bicycle and was aware during the attack on him of it lying beside him. He never recovered it.

He told the jury that someone hit him on the head with a baton as he was trying to assist a fellow protester whom he said "one garda seemed to be strangling."

This protester was shouting to be let go but the garda was not responding. Mr Leddy said he first appealed verbally to the garda who was holding the protester but when that did not have any effect, he interceded and came between, them pushing them apart.

At this stage he received a blow to the head. "I remember a sharp pain to my head. I may have lost consciousness or at least been stunned but the next thing I knew there were gardaí around me and they were continuously striking my head."

Mr Leddy told the jury that he then started shouting at gardaí that he was not resisting. He didn’t see who was striking him as he had his hands over his head in an attempt to protect himself.

Mr Leddy said that he was not exactly sure how he got away but people he knew were around him and he was ushered down Anglesea Street, a side street off Dame Street.

His head was bleeding from the blows he received, but it stopped some short time later. He therefore did not go to hospital for treatment, as he felt the injury was not serious.

Mr Leddy pointed out to the jury blood stains on the jacket he wore to the event. A few weeks later, he started to suffer with headaches and visited his GP. He had sustained a three quarter inch wound to the back of his head and had some bruising on his back and shoulder area.

Some time later, he contacted his solicitor who made a complaint to the garda complaints bureau on his behalf.

He agreed with Mr Anthony Sammon SC (with Mr Breffni Gordon BL) defending, who asked in cross-examination about "a sacrificial car" that was pushed onto Burgh Quay and had a smoke bomb thrown into it, that gardaí would not have been aware that this car was used as a "theatre prop" and he further agreed that the production of the vehicle was "stupid and antisocial".

Mr Sammon referred Mr Leddy to a point in the video footage on Burgh Quay where chants "f**k the police", could be heard and asked witness if this showed "an element of ugliness" at this stage of the protest.

Mr Leddy agreed that at this time there was a degree of tension at the demonstration.

The trial continues before Judge Joseph Matthews and a jury of 10 men and two women.