Mayo fisherman tells court Gardaí punched him in head while he was restrained

A Mayo fisherman has told the High Court a garda punched his face three or four times at a Shell to Sea protest, while his hands were held behind his back.

Patrick O'Donnell from Porturlin, Ballina is one of three men suing the force over alleged brutality at Bellanaboy bridge on January 19, 2007.

The court has been shown Garda video footage of the Shell to Sea protest outside the company's oil refinery, over eight years ago.

Fisherman Patrick O'Donnell is looking into the camera on a dark January morning saying "see my face". "Look at it bursted" "two holding and one belting" and "what sort of men have you got down here?"

Asked about laughter on the tape he said that would be Greg Burke, the local garda operating the camera.

Patrick O'Donnell's evidence is that he had been assaulted about five minutes before the footage was shot while trying to help a friend who was on the ground after being punched by gardaí.

An Garda Siochana denies the allegations.