WATCH: TD Paul Murphy vows to vigorously defend criminal charges

Socialist TD Paul Murphy says he plans to “vigorously defend” charges of falsely imprisoning the Tánaiste and one of her advisers.

The DPP has directed that he stand trial before judge and jury along with several others, including two Anti-Austerity Alliance councillors.

Hundreds gathered outside court in support of Socialist TD Paul Murphy, who is accused of falsely imprisoning the Tánaiste and her adviser Karen O’Connell during a water charge protest in Jobstown last November.

Outside the court now. #Crumlin13NotGuilty #DefendTheRightToProtest pic.twitter.com/GWRPWYH5Zi

— Joan Collins Community Activist (@JoanCollinsTD) November 2, 2015

Several others, including two Anti-Austerity Alliance Councillors, are facing the same charges and Deputy Murphy says they’ll strongly contest the charges:

"The only way that we will defend it by defending it legally in the courts," he told the assembled crowd.

"We will have a vigorous defence over the course of the next year, but also politically - mobilisation to say: 'We will not be intimidated, we will not back down".

Meanwhile, United Left Alliance TD Joan Collins is charged with failing to comply with the directions of a Garda during a separate protest in Crumlin in April.

"I think the whole country should stand together and support people who are in there defending that democratic, human right, that [Mahatma] Gandhi, the Suffragettes, all down through history have defended."

Deputy Collins is due back in court in a few weeks, while the DPP has directed trial by judge and jury for all those charged with false imprisonment.

They are due back in court next month to receive books of evidence.