ACTIVIST GEMMA O’Doherty is to appeal her conviction for public order offences this October. 

O’Doherty (53) was convicted of threatening and abusive behaviour, as well as refusing to give her name and address to a garda. She was also found guilty of resisting arrest.

For these crimes, she was handed a two-month suspended sentence as well as a €750 fine.

Her case for appeal came before Bray District Court this morning. O’Doherty was not present for the brief hearing. 

Judge Patrick Quinn ruled that the appeal would be heard in his court on 17 October next. 

The court heard that the defence intends to call evidence for the appeal hearing. It also heard that O’Doherty’s last appearance before the court in 2021 lasted from 10am to 7pm that evening.

“I’ll put it in for 10am and we’ll see how we get on,” Judge Quinn said today. 

O’Doherty was arrested on a flyover in Kilmacanogue, Wicklow, in August 2020.

Gardaí had been alerted to banners over the flyover pedestrian bridge on the N11 following a number of complaints.

A decision was taken to remove the banners, which contained anti-facemask and anti-vaccination messages, after gardaí observed motorists swerving as a result of being distracted by the signs, according to gardaí. 

The arrest was filmed by some of O’Doherty’s supporters.