The estimated cost of damage to a US navy aircraft in an alleged attack by five anti-war activists at Shannon Airport last February is now set at €2.5 million, five times the original estimate of €500,000, Ennis District Court was told yesterday, writes Gordon Deegan.
Solicitor for the five, Mr Joe Noonan, told the court that given the gravity of the charge, he would be seeking senior counsel and junior counsel for his clients for their trial next month at Ennis Circuit Court.
He said: "Though not in the Book of Evidence, I am told by the State Solicitor that evidence will be adduced that the estimated cost of damage is now set at €2.5 million."
He remarked: "The estimated costs of damage to the plane has been going up and down like a yo-yo." Yesterday, the Book of Evidence was served on the five: seminarian Mr Damien Moran (22), freelance editor Deirdre Clancy (32), US citizen Ms Nuin Dunlop (31), Mr Ciaran O'Reilly (42), and Scottish woman Ms Karen Fallon (30), who are all charged with the criminal damage of a US navy aircraft on February 4th at Shannon Airport.
Two of the five, Mr O'Reilly and Ms Dunlop wore black T-shirts in court yesterday with the words "Pit-Stop Ploughshares Disarm US War Plane, Shannon Airport, February 2003" on them. All five were returned for trial to Ennis Circuit Court on June 24th.
Along with the five members of the Catholic Workers' Movement, a sixth anti-war activist, Ms Mary Kelly (50), also appeared at Ennis District Court yesterday where she was also returned for trial to Ennis Circuit Court on June 24th after the Book of Evidence was served on her. Ms Kelly is charged with the criminal damage of the same aircraft on January 29th, five days prior to the alleged attack by the five Catholic Workers' Movement members.
In his legal aid application, Mr Noonan also sought senior counsel for Ms Kelly in her upcoming trial "given the gravity of the offence and her exposure to a potential ten year jail term".
He said: "It is a very major penalty hanging over my client." Though no figure of the estimated cost of damage was mentioned in court in relation to Ms Kelly's alleged attack on the same US navy aircraft, it is understood that the estimated cost is now around €1.5 million - the most recent estimate in court was according to gardaí "in excess of €100,000".
In court yesterday, Judge Joseph Mangan refused Mr Noonan's request for senior counsel for his clients, agreeing to his legal aid application for junior counsel only. Mr Noonan also asked to have his six clients' bail conditions relaxed. The five members of the Catholic Workers' Movement have to sign on each day at designated Garda stations, while Ms Mary Kelly has to sign on three times a week at Skibbereen Garda station.
All applications to have bail conditions relaxed were refused.Currently all six remain banned from Co Clare but will return for their trial at Ennis Circuit Court on June 24th.