A garda has been found not guilty of striking a protester with his baton at the May Day 2002 Reclaim the Streets protest in Dublin city centre.
Garda Paul Tallon (31), based at Mountjoy station, was acquitted by the jury at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court of assault causing harm to Fergal Leddy (35) on May 6th, 2002.
It was day nine of the hearing and the jury of 10 men and two women reached their verdict after spending one night in a hotel following almost five hours of deliberations. Judge Joseph Matthews discharged Garda Tallon from the court and thanked the jury for their care and attention to the case.
Mr Leddy had claimed that someone hit him on the head with a baton as he was trying to help a fellow protester whom he said "one garda seemed to be strangling." He said the protester was shouting to be let go but the garda was not responding. He said he first appealed verbally to the garda who was holding the protester but when that had no effect, he came between them pushing them apart. Mr Leddy said that at this stage he received a blow to the head.
Mr Leddy told the jury that he then started shouting at gardaí that he was not resisting. He said he did not see who was striking him as he had his hands over his head to protect himself.
Garda Tallon admitted striking Mr Leddy with his baton but denied hitting him on the head. He said he saw Mr Leddy holding a garda by the throat and he came to his colleague's assistance.
He said he struck Mr Leddy three times on the upper arm to get him to loosen his grip on the other garda. Mr Leddy let go after the third strike.
Garda Tallon admitted it was possible that he had struck Mr Leddy on the head but if he had it was never his intention to do so.