Youth Defence protester `tried to bash back of garda's head in'

A youth Defence protester attacked a garda and "tried to bash the back of his head in" with the wooden pole of a placard, the Dublin District Court was told yesterday.

Ms Maria Caulfield (26), of Brookwood Park, Artane, Dublin, was said to have struck Garda William O'Dwyer five or six times on the head during a melee outside the Adelaide Hospital on May 16th last.

She was one of 10 anti-abortion protesters facing charges of assault, obstruction and disorderly behaviour. The group was part a 50-strong demonstration which allegedly turned violent when arrests were attempted after their chanting began to upset sick patients inside the hospital.

Garda Chris Burdock, of Pearse Street station, said Ms Caulfield deliberately turned the placard over to strike his colleague with the timber edge of the pole. Garda Burdock said he tried to restrain the woman but was set upon by two male protesters.

The garda said he tried to reason with the crowd but they "were not rational people. You could not speak to them properly."

Garda O'Dwyer, also of Pearse Street station, said a melee had developed when he arrived at the scene at about 3 p.m. He went to assist a colleague with an arrest but was kicked and hit on the head. An elderly woman pushed a placard between his legs and tried to strike his genitals.

Garda O'Dwyer said he tried to catch hold of a man seen kicking a senior garda on the ground. However, he was surrounded by six or seven men, one of whom headbutted him on the nose. Another man, Mr Christopher Palin (24), of Fairview Strand, Dublin, grabbed him from behind and began choking him.

The garda was off duty for five weeks as a result of his injuries.

Mr Micheal P. O'Higgins, counsel for the defendants, suggested the resistance of the defendants was prompted by the over-the-top and violent actions of the gardai and the "crazed" behaviour of Garda Burdock in particular.

The gardai denied the allegations.

Mr O'Higgins also suggested that Garda Ciaran Bruce of Kevin Street station had "assaulted violently" Mr Palin and punched Ms Una nic Mathuna, the secretary of Youth Defence, in the eye.

Garda Bruce denied both claims.

Also before the court was Ms Aoife ni Aodain (20), of Grace Park Heights, Dublin, who was seen pulling the windscreen wipers off the front of a Garda van and obstructing its progress.

Garda Mark Massey, of Pearse Street station, said he was assisting with her arrest when he was punched in the face and kicked in the shin by her sister, Ms Ciara ni Aodain (24), of the same address.

Mr O'Higgins said the elder sister would give evidence that Garda Massey pushed her on to the road and that "it was an act of God that she was not hit by a passing car".

The court was also told that Mr Brian Meehan (24), of Tydavnet, Co Monaghan, tried to stop gardai getting an arrested man into the van and verbally abused them, describing the gardai as fascist "pigs".

The court was shown photographs of Mr Meehan allegedly after the incident with a torn shirt and a cut on his elbow.

Judge David Anderson said, however, that as the photos were not dated he did not see much relevance in them.

Ms Caulfield's mother, Mrs Esme Caulfield, was said to have held a garda's arm back while an arrest was attempted and to have verbally abused a woman Garda. She denied the charges.

The hearing continues on Tuesday next.