Seven gardaí appeared in court today charged with assault arising out of the May Day anti-globalisation protests. All the cases were adjourned until March.
Gardaí Thomas Victory, Ronan Judge, Donal Corcoran, all from Store Street; Paul Daly, Fergus Hogan, both from Pearse Street; and Paul Tallon, Mountjoy, were charged with assault causing harm to protesters at different city centre locations on May 6th last.
A seventh garda, Keith Goff from Mountjoy, was charged with simple assault.
Dublin District Court heard the DPP had directed trial on indictment for the first six. This means their cases will be heard in the Circuit Court before a jury if they are pleading not guilty.
Garda Goff will be tried before a judge in the District Court.
Mr Breffni Gordon, counsel for six of the officers, complained that today was the first time the DPP had indicated he was seeking trial in the higher court.
There had been considerable media interest, "a media frenzy", he said, over these cases since last June and they were now being told the cases would be further protracted.
Judge Geoffrey Browne adjourned six of the cases to March 4th and the seventh, involving garda Goff, to March 11th.