Man appears in court after truck crashed through Russian embassy gate

Desmond Wisley speaks to the media as he leaves Tallaght District Court, Dublin, where he was charged with dangerous driving and criminal damage after a large lorry crashed into the gates of the Russian embassy on Monday. Photo: Niall Carson/PA Wire

A man has appeared in court in Dublin after a large truck crashed into the gates of the Russian embassy on Monday.

Desmond Wisley, aged 49 and with an address at Tully, Ballinamore, Leitrim, was charged with dangerous driving and criminal damage.

Mr Wisley, who runs an ecclesiastical supplies company, appeared at Tallaght District Court in south Dublin on Tuesday morning.

He was released on bail.

Speaking to reporters outside court on Tuesday, Desmond Wisley thanked gardaí for the "professionalism, courtesy, kindness" they displayed since his arrest.

"It shows us how democracy should work," he said.

I did this to keep the pressure on Putin, to stop the war in Ukraine and especially the murder of innocent children.

He also spoke about the Russian Ambassador to Ireland, Yury Filatov.

"If he is going to continue spreading lies about the war and not tell Putin that enough is enough and to stop the war for the sake of the children, then I ask the Irish Government to expel the ambassador and his staff back to Russia."

Gardaí have since erected barriers outside the Russian embassy after the incident.

The truck, which belongs to a company providing religious products, was deliberately reversed through the metal gates at the entrance to the embassy grounds at lunchtime on Monday.

The Russian Embassy issued a statement criticising the incident and alleged that garda officers “stood idle” as the large truck reversed into and through the metal gates.