Paul Murphy among 27 to face charges over Jobstown

SOCIALIST TD Paul Murphy, as well as two councillors, will be among 27 people who will face charges in relation to the Jobstown incident last year.

Specific charges faced by the 27 antiwater charge protesters were revealed last night, as well as the fact that they will be notified of the charges – but will not be arrested.

Mr Murphy and two South Dublin AntiAusterity Alliance councillors, Kieran Mahon and Mick Murphy, are to face two charges of falsely imprisoning Labour leader Joan Burton and her special adviser, Karen O’Connell, at the Fortunestown Road in Jobstown on November 15 last year, RTÉ News reported last night.

It was also revealed that 13 people are to be charged with false imprisonment, while 14 others will be charged with violent disorder or criminal damage. The group includes women, men and juveniles, some of whom are facing multiple charges. The process of charging the 27 people by summons has already begun and those summonses to appear in court are expected to be issued by next week and then served.

In a statement last night, Mr Murphy questioned the leaking of the charges, and added: ‘If anybody was found guilty of false imprisonment, it would likely result in a significant prison sentence. It would mean that a traditional form of non-violent civil disobedience, namely a sit-down protest, has somehow become defined as false imprisonment. I will be pleading not guilty.’