Showers and sun forecast
Court is told accused broke ranks
HEAVY showers, sunshine and plummeting temperatures make up a mixed bag of weather.
Western counties will be lashed with rain with hail and thunder expected.
Snow and wintry showers may also hit some higher areas.
A Met Eireann forecaster said: “Feeling raw on today with showers, as well as bright spells.
“Highest temperatures of 3C to 7C, in brisk westerly winds. Tomorrow will be a cloudy and wet .”
Colm Hand at court in Dublin yesterday
AN RTE reporter has told the trial of a garda accused of assaulting his camera man colleague that the officer came forward from a line of colleagues to hit the alleged victim.
Garda Sean Lucey, 42, was in a public order unit as they tried to keep anti-racism activists from supporters of a “far right group”.
The defendant, who has a South Dublin address, denies assault causing harm to Colm Hand at Cathedral Street, Dublin, in February 2016, and damaging his camera.
Reporter Colman O’sullivan said they were reporting on the protest.
Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard a cameraman is vulnerable in disorder situations as he has one eye in the lens and the other eye closed to focus.
Mr O’sullivan said his job is to be the cameraman’s eyes and to alert him to hazards. He said they went to Cathedral Street where the atmosphere was very tense.
He added some protesters were angry as they wanted to pursue people from the opposing group.
Mr O’sullivan said a Garda line stopped them and some drew batons.
He added: “They were indicating they wanted people to move back. At that stage we were retreating already. I said to gardai, ‘We’re press and we’re getting out of your way.’ A garda advanced out of line and hit Colm’s camera. I was very close to Colm. The baton hit the camera quite close to my head.”
He said he immediately pulled the cameraman away from the garda line. Mr Hand turned around to face the gardai and said, “Don’t hit the f***ing camera, you can’t hit cameras”.
He said the garda who struck the camera then hit Mr Hand in the groin.
He added: “He came forward to strike Colm.”
Under cross-examination from defence counsel James Dwyer Mr O’sullivan said he and Mr Hand discussed the potential for conflict ahead of the job.
He agreed they both had a clear understanding there were opposing groups and “it was clear... there was going to be violent confrontations”. He agreed in a conflict situation you constantly assess risk and if weapons appear or if crowd dispersal techniques are engaged, it would be appropriate to withdraw.
He said there would have to be major unrest to Sean Lucey consider a withdrawal to a building or an upstairs window.
Mr O’sullivan said: “I don’t think I’ve ever had to do that in any of my assignments, covering public order incidents.”
He told Mr Dwyer neither he nor Mr Hand had RTE or “press” logos on their clothes or on the camera.
The trial continues.
DUBLIN COURT YESTERDAY
He was in advance of colleagues and came forward to strike Colm COLMAN O’SULLIVAN