7 August 1997 Edition
Court victory for anti-drugs activists
By Conor Marshall
The case against three Dublin anti-drugs activists charged with assault was dismissed in court on Friday 25 July. The three men, Cecil Johnston, Michael Warner and Dennis Brunt, all from Killinarden in West Tallaght, were arrested on 4 November 1996.
Since their arrest, they had made 16 court appearances, were subjected to harsh bail condititions, and suffered unrelenting harrassment and intimidation by the Special Branch and Tallaght based detectives. They were charged with being part of a group of seven men, four wearing balaclavas, who allegedly assaulted a Killinarden resident. The three activists were ``identified'' as the non-masked attackers. The attacked man in question, the State's main witness, attempted several times to withdraw his comments and said openly in court that he had been intimidated into naming the three men by the Gardai. He said, ``the Guards told me that if I didn't do what I was told, that I'd be in trouble for the rest of my life.''
On one occasion, when asked in court if he had been intimidated by the three activists, he instead pointed to two detectives and said that they had been making his life a misery through constant harrassment and intimidation. The judge ordered the court recorder to strike out his comments.
The DPP representative then stated that they would not pursue the case, due to lack of evidence. When the detectives were asked if there was evidence of any intimidation on the three men they admitted there was none. The judge, however, stated that in his opinion, there was evidence that intimidation had taken place, and ordered the case to be put forward.
The bail conditions required all three men having to sign on in the Garda Station every day. The reason given was that one the men was seen walking and running aggressively through the community. The man in question teaches community children running.
Cecil Johnston's house was raided by the Gardai on the night of his arrest. During the raid, ornaments were smashed and the furnishings generally abused. Johnston's son attempted to stop them and was roughly pushed aside. When Johnston challenged the Gardai he was punched and then charged with obstruction of justice. He promptly said he was going to press charges of assault against the Gardai. They then attempted to do a deal with him, offering to drop the obstruction of justice charge if he dropped the assault charge. Johnston refused. All charges were eventually dropped due to lack of evidence.
The case against three Dublin anti-drugs activists charged with assault was dismissed in court on Friday 25 July. The three men, Cecil Johnston, Michael Warner and Dennis Brunt, all from Killinarden in West Tallaght, were arrested on 4 November 1996.
Since their arrest, they had made 16 court appearances, were subjected to harsh bail condititions, and suffered unrelenting harrassment and intimidation by the Special Branch and Tallaght based detectives. They were charged with being part of a group of seven men, four wearing balaclavas, who allegedly assaulted a Killinarden resident. The three activists were ``identified'' as the non-masked attackers. The attacked man in question, the State's main witness, attempted several times to withdraw his comments and said openly in court that he had been intimidated into naming the three men by the Gardai. He said, ``the Guards told me that if I didn't do what I was told, that I'd be in trouble for the rest of my life.''
On one occasion, when asked in court if he had been intimidated by the three activists, he instead pointed to two detectives and said that they had been making his life a misery through constant harrassment and intimidation. The judge ordered the court recorder to strike out his comments.
The DPP representative then stated that they would not pursue the case, due to lack of evidence. When the detectives were asked if there was evidence of any intimidation on the three men they admitted there was none. The judge, however, stated that in his opinion, there was evidence that intimidation had taken place, and ordered the case to be put forward.
The bail conditions required all three men having to sign on in the Garda Station every day. The reason given was that one the men was seen walking and running aggressively through the community. The man in question teaches community children running.
Cecil Johnston's house was raided by the Gardai on the night of his arrest. During the raid, ornaments were smashed and the furnishings generally abused. Johnston's son attempted to stop them and was roughly pushed aside. When Johnston challenged the Gardai he was punched and then charged with obstruction of justice. He promptly said he was going to press charges of assault against the Gardai. They then attempted to do a deal with him, offering to drop the obstruction of justice charge if he dropped the assault charge. Johnston refused. All charges were eventually dropped due to lack of evidence.