PROTESTERS ROARED AT gardaí that they were “facilitating paedophiles” during this year’s St Patrick’s Day parade in Dublin, a court heard.

Andrew Heasman, 44, with an address at Carrowmore, Knock, Co Mayo, was charged under Section 8 of the Public Order Act for failing to comply with a garda’s direction to leave the vicinity immediately in a peaceable and ordinary manner.

He denied the charge, which can result in a fine or a six-month jail sentence, and his hearing came before Judge John Hughes at Dublin District Court today.

However, the activist was cleared on a technicality following legal submissions from his barrister that the court had not heard the required evidence that Heasman had been warned about the consequences of failing to comply with the direction.

Garda Sergeant Kevin Mullahy told Judge John Hughes that he had been assigned to the national public order unit dispatched to Ormond Quay in Dublin city centre.

The officer did not accept the defence barrister’s suggestion that the accused was not there to protest but to “enjoy the parade”. 

He alleged protesters were disrupting the flow of traffic, bringing patrons in and out of the city centre.

He said it was around noon, a large crowd had gathered, and he identified Andrew Heasman.

Initially, they were cautioned, complied and moved onto the footpath. But Sergeant Mullahy alleged that they then became aggressive, and “they were roaring and shouting, and he was stating we were facilitating paedophiles in the country”.

Garda Sergeant Mullahy recalled asking Heasman to desist from acting in that manner and directed him to leave the area, and he quoted the section of the Public Order Act.

He said the accused ran through a garda cordon, went onto the middle of the road, and was “running up and down the middle of the road”.

He was then arrested and taken to Blanchardstown Garda station to be charged.

Cross-examined, he rejected the suggestion that Heasman could not leave because of the cordon and said pedestrians could move left or right of the cordon on the north quays.

After the State’s evidence was heard, counsel submitted legal authority stating the court must be told that when giving the direction, the garda explained the consequences of non-compliance.

The sergeant replied that he had done so at the time but accepted that he had not stated it in evidence before the prosecution closed its case.

Heasman did not have to testify.

Judge Hughes accepted the defence submission and granted a dismissal.