A woman who claimed she was severely assaulted by gardaí during a Reclaim the Streets march in Dublin city four years ago, and that she was ordered to strip in a Garda station, has settled her High Court action. The case was struck out yesterday after talks between the sides.
Annette Ryan (39), Kevin Street, Dublin, had sued the Garda Commissioner and the State over the alleged assault on May 6th, 2002. The defendants had denied her claims.
Under yesterday's agreement, Ms Ryan is to receive her costs of the entire High Court action, which ran for 10 days. The costs will be assessed on the High Court scale and she is also, it is understood, to receive a sum of about €25,000.
During the hearing before Ms Justice Elizabeth Dunne and a jury, Ms Ryan, who was president of the NCAD (National College of Art and Design) students' union at the time of the alleged assault on May 6th, 2002, claimed a garda grabbed her by the throat, knocked her to the ground and then knelt on top of her. She was put face-down on the ground and handcuffed before being brought to Pearse Street Garda station, she said.
The jury was told that on May 6th, 2002, up to 300 people had met at Burgh Quay in Dublin city centre for the Reclaim the Streets march. At about 6pm, the group moved down the quays and took a left turn into Parliament Street and towards Dame Street.
Ms Ryan said she met her friends and was standing on the pavement. The next thing she knew was that a can of beer in her hand was grabbed by a woman garda. "I was grabbed by the neck, pushed to the ground, knelt on. My hands were handcuffed behind my back," she said. "I didn't resist." She said she was "flung" into the back of a Garda van and brought to Pearse Street Garda station.
During the hearing, the court was shown video footage, including of events at Dame Street. Ms Ryan pointed to certain gardaí in the video and said they were involved.
At Pearse Street Garda station, Ms Ryan said she was brought into a room by two female gardaí. She said one was wearing latex gloves and asked her to take off her clothes.
Ms Ryan said that she had to appear before the District Court five times before charges against her were dropped. She said she was never told why and never received an apology.