Final speeches heard in Jobstown trial today
The final closing speech has been heard in the Jobstown trial today.
TD Paul Murphy, two Dublin Councillors and three other men all deny falsely imprisoning the former Tánaiste Joan Burton during a demonstration against water charges in November 2014.
The judge will begin her charge to the jurors on Monday before they begin their deliberations.
The final closing speech delivered to the jurors this morning was on behalf of 46-year-old Michael Banks of Brookview Green in Tallaght in Dublin.
His barrister, Ciaran O’Loughlain, admitted there is footage of his client engaging in a rude gesture at the back of a car at one stage during the anti-water charge demonstration in Jobstown.
But he said although it was vulgar and might not make Michael Banks the jury’s favourite man – it is not a crime.
There was also an allegation that Mr Banks had called a garda a "wife beater" during the protest.
The barrister said the ins and outs of this are not clear, but even if he did, "giving lip to a guard is not an offence either".
Mr O’Loughlin said Michael Banks was peacefully protesting that day and perhaps the reason it was hard to move was because of the sheer volume of people present.
"Nobody is to blame unless everybody is to blame," he said.
Now that all the closing speeches in the two-month trial have been heard, Judge Melanie Greally told the jurors she will give them directions in relation to the law on Monday.
