Protest at Irish Aviation Authority, Dublin

by pc Tue Feb 08, 2005 10:41

won't be till 10th of March

by Margaret Thu Feb 10, 2005 17:27

Peace Activists built a Shrine to the Dead at Shannon Airport Oct 31st, 2004
(for background to story see "Anti War Banshees Arrested at Shannon Airport" http://www.indymedia.ie/newswire.php?story_id=67254)



Elaine and Zelda arrived at Ennis District Court this morning expecting their case to be adjourned because one of the Gardai involed in their arrest was not available. They had a chance this morning to discuss how they would proceed with their solicitor, Ted McCarthy, and decided together to submit a guilty plea to the charges today.
The most likely outcome according to Ted would be a fine, probably a ban from Clare or the airport region and being bound to the peace for a period of time.
While waiting for Judge Mangan to appear we met Nuria Mustafa Dunne who was also appearing in Ennis court today. Nuria has had to make 22 or 23 appearances in court relating to a charge against her from an action at the airport 2 years ago to which she has pleaded not guilty. Her case has been repeatedly adjourned over the past two years.

What happened in court today:
Presiding Judge: Joseph Mangan
Prosecution : Inspector Kennedy
Defendants: Elaine O'Sullivan, Zelda Jeffers.

Ted McCarthy said he wished to enter a plea for both Elaine and Zelda.

Inspector Kennedy briefly outlined how the defendants entered the airfield and were found after 5am. He noted that both had no previous convictions.

Ted McCarthy said that both defandants accepted that they entered a restricted area. He told the court that the defandants had gone to the airfield to make a gesture against the war and laid a wreath in memory of those killed in Iraq. He also said that when they came to a sign that said something like "STOP, NO UNAUTHORISED PEOPLE BEYOND THIS POINT", that they did stop at this point. he also made it clear that the security at Shannon airport did not find them but that Elaine and Zelda had to beckon security and alert them to their presence.

He followed this with some general character references including that they have no previous convictions and that Elaine if a full-time carer etc. He finished by saying that they both apologised for enering the airfield. (I don't think the apology was agreed with them beforehand).

Judge Mangan said "I have no problem with people making political statments as long as it's within the law." He asked the solicitor if his clients would undertake to not do this again.

Ted McCarthy checked this with Elaine and Zelda before replying to the judge. Both agreed that they wouldn't do it again. (Zelda checked with Ted to make sure he meant at Shannon only.)

Ted notified the Judge that both defandants agreed not to enter the airfield again.

Judge Mangan then applied the Probation Act to both. This effectively means that their record is not affected unless they reoffend. No fine was imposed and no ban from Clare as far as I could tell.


(There was very little said about the action, the events of the night and how they were found. As they entered a guilty plea and had no previous convictions I think their solicitor and the Garda Inspector didn't feel that discussing the ins and outs of what they did and why they felt compelled to do it would affect the outcome. Also I think Ted McCarthy thought that trying to make a political issue of their charges would just annoy Judge Mangan and result in a more serious outcome.)