Former election candidate attempts citizen arrest on High Court judge, solicitor and barrister

An attempt was made by a lay litigant to arrest a High Court judge, a solicitor and a barrister at the Four Courts.

Stephen Manning, a candidate in the 2016 general election, asked Mr Justice Michael MacGrath, as well as a solicitor for the DPP and a barrister to accompany him to a Garda Station, where he could effect a citizen's arrest.

Mr Manning, with addresses in Co Mayo, was at court regarding judicial review proceedings he had initiated.

Earlier this year the High Court granted Mr Manning permission to bring a challenge to a Circuit Court Appeal in a case involving what he claims was his unlawful conviction and subsequent incarceration in May 2017.

While permission to bring the challenge was granted on several of the grounds raised by Mr Manning, Mr Justice MacGrath dismissed Mr Manning's application for the judge to recuse himself from hearing the substantive case.

When the case returned before the Judge today, Mr Manning asked the court to call out the full title of the proceedings.

When the title of the proceedings, named Stephen Manning vs. a judge of the Circuit Court, Mr Manning raised an objection and disputed the title of his action.

Mr Justice MacGrath told Mr Manning that the case was listed so one issue, whether the decision not to grant permission on certain grounds was to be appealed to the Court of Appeal.

Following a brief exchange, Mr Manning said he wanted to make the citizens arrests on grounds including allegedly perverting the course of justice.

The Judge told Mr Manning the case was listed for one issue and that the applicant wanted to "bring the case down a road to suit your own purposes".

Unperturbed by Mr Manning's request to accompany him to a Garda station, the judge then rose from the bench to allow the parties in an ongoing case before the court take their places and resume their submissions.

The solicitor did not respond to Mr Manning's request, while the barrister in question was not present in court.

Members of An Garda Siochana, who were present in court at the time, informed Mr Manning they would not be taking any of the parties into custody.

Mr Manning said he would follow up on the matter, and left the courtroom.