A court heard that a man began cursing at gardaí who were police a demonstration outside the former Crown Paints site in Dublin because he was “at the wrong place at the wrong time,” reports RTE.
Christopher Kirwan, 56, of Liberty House, Dublin 1, entered a guilty plea to disturbing the peace on July 15 and was warned to leave the area. He was later fined €500.
Since the government revealed its intentions to utilise the abandoned factory to house hundreds of applicants for international protection, there has been turmoil in the region.
At the Dublin District Court, Judge Michael Ramsey was informed by Kirwan that the gardaí on duty during the demonstration said, “I’d love it for some knock off you lot”, reports RTE.
He was told to “f*ck off” by a garda, but instead of doing so, he grew “more abusive” and was eventually detained and prosecuted.
Kirwan had eight previous convictions, the judge heard, including a Circuit Court conviction for endangering public safety and further District Court convictions for public order and traffic infractions, reports RTE.
Arguments for mercy were made by defence attorney Daniel Hanahoe, who told the judge that his client “just happened to be there, at the wrong place at the wrong time” and that he had been attempting to return home.
According to the attorney, Kirwan became engaged because he witnessed an argument between gardaí and a member of the public, which he found upsetting, reports RTE.
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