Man jailed for scuffle at anti-immigration protest

By Eimear Dodd

A man has been jailed for offences including pushing an investigative journalist during a scuffle at an anti-immigration protest in Dublin last year.  

Christopher Byrne (29) with an address at Belcamp Crescent, Priorswood, Dublin 17 pleaded to guilty to a count of affray at the former Crown Paints factory site on the Malahide Road in Coolock on April 6 last.

He also pleaded to assault on a prison officer at Mountjoy Prison in March 2023 and other charges including criminal damage and the unlawful use of a car in January 2023. Byrne has 75 previous convictions including for criminal damage, assault and road traffic offences.

On Wednesday, Byrne received prison sentences totalling four years and nine months for these offences.

Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard that the former factory in Coolock was being considered by the Department of Integration to provide accommodation to international protection applicants, with anti-immigration protests taking place at the site.

On April 6 last, an investigative journalist, who was not named in court, and other crew arrived at the site as part of a documentary. They attended undercover and set up a counter protest in support of immigration, unfurling Irish flags and signs which said ‘refugees welcome’.

A group of ten people came over to them, demanding to know who they were and for the injured party to remove his facemask. The situation escalated, with the injured party telling gardai he was pushed, dragged and felt afraid.

Byrne pushed and shoved the injured party during the incident, the court heard.

When gardai arrived, they spoke to several people including Byrne. Clips relating to the incident circulated on social media and Byrne was also identified from these.

Byrne was arrested on April 29 last, and made admissions. He said he had been there as a “concerned parent” and as his grandmother lived nearby. He was on bail at the time for other offences.

The investigating garda agreed with Pieter Le Vert BL, defending, that the injured party intended to  hold a counter-protest to see what happened and was with camera operators and others, having been commissioned to make a documentary.

It was also accepted that the injured party was wearing a face mask due to concerns about doxxing.

The court heard that in March 2023, a prison officer moved Byrne and another person on from a particular area in Mountjoy Prison.

A short time later, the  prison officer felt a liquid hit his face, causing his vision to blur and a stinging sensation. CCTV captured Byrne squirting the liquid, which turned out to be shampoo.

Byrne initially denied wrongdoing, before handing over the bottle of shampoo. The prison officer was on sick leave for three weeks, and suffered injuries to his eyes.

The investigating garda agreed with Mr Le Vert that Byrne denied that he intentionally squirted the shampoo at the prison officer. He said it is clear from CCTV that Byrne’s actions were intentional, but accepted it’s not apparent who Byrne was aiming at.

It was also agreed that there have been no further difficulties between Byrne and the prison officer.

In another incident, Byrne and another male were involved in a series of offences between January 11 and January 13, 2023.

Gardai responded to a report of an attempted burglary at a house in the Balgriffin area. CCTV from the house showed two men pull up in a Renault car, enter the driveway and try to open the car doors.

Byrne was also seen in the footage using a tool, believed to be screwdriver, in an attempt to open the front door.

The two men then left the property and walked up the road.

While gardai were in the area, other homeowners reported car alarms activating, with damage caused to multiple cars.

The Renault car, which had been stolen a few days earlier was spotted in a nearby estate, and Byrne and the co-accused were arrested.

The court heard he was initially deemed unfit for interview due to his level of intoxication, but later made full admissions. The co-accused was sentenced separately for his role.

No victim impact statements were provided to the court in any of the cases.

Investigating gardai agreed with Mr Le Vert that Byrne outlined his personal circumstances and addiction issues during interview.

Mr Le Vert told the court his client wished to apologise to all his victims. Byrne has work history and an offer of work upon his release from custody.

Counsel said Byrne’s addiction issues escalated following the death of his father in 2021. He has two young children and his partner was in court to support him.

Byrne is drug-free in custody, attending courses and on the waiting list for a psychologist.

Counsel asked the court to take into account his client’s guilty pleas, work history, family support and efforts towards rehabilitation.

Judge Martin Nolan said Byrne has a “terrible history of offending”. He noted Byrne’s guilty pleas, co-operation and personal circumstances.

He imposed a sentence of three years in relation to the offences in January 2023, and a concurrent two year sentence for the assault on the prison officer.

Judge Nolan said the affray was “relatively serious in its context”  and imposed a 21-month sentence, consecutive to the three-year sentence.

The judge directed that Byrne should be given credit for any time served in custody exclusively on these charges.