A "peaceful protester" against last year's Love Ulster march has been fined €500 for throwing a barrier at gardaí.
A "peaceful protester" against last year's Love Ulster march has been fined €500 for throwing a barrier at gardaí.
Anthony Cosgrove (52), an unemployed father of six, Arden View, Tullamore, Co Offaly, pleaded guilty at Dublin District Court yesterday to violent disorder in O'Connell Street, Dublin, on February 25th, 2006, when members of the Orange Order attempted to march through the city centre.
The court heard that Cosgrove had come to the capital to protest peacefully against the Love Ulster march. However, he was identified from CCTV evidence throwing a barrier at gardaí and throwing diabetic sweets at a Garda van.
Sgt Paul Cleary said Cosgrove did not hit any officers with the barrier.
He was later spotted throwing missiles at a Garda van near the GPO. These turned out to be sweets he had in his pocket for his diabetes.
When he was later arrested he made full admissions about his actions.
His lawyer said that unlike other people who had their faces covered during the trouble, Cosgrove had not covered his face as he had come to Dublin for a peaceful protest.
He was moving the barrier, rather than throwing it, so that he could sit down on the ground for the protest, counsel added.
Cosgrove had worked as a contract cleaner, but was now on disability benefit.
Judge Hugh O'Donnell said that did not appear to stop him from "coming to Dublin to cause trouble".
He said were it not for the fact that Cosgrove had no previous convictions he would be getting a jail sentence. He imposed a fine of €500.
"He is a lucky man he is not going to jail," added Judge O'Donnell.