Maura Harrington Charges Dropped

On Thurs 11^th  February, 2010 Maura Harrington had faced 19 months imprisonment for district court convictions.A conviction of assault on a Shell security guard was dropped. The penalty for an obstruction conviction was reduced from a custodial sentence to a 2 year driving disqualification. Dangerous driving convictions were reduced to careless driving, resulting in a 6 month disqualification. Sentencing for convictions of trespass and cutting of nets were put off for 12 months.

Commenting on the outcome Maura Harrington said: “Today I found the decision to defer my sentencing for a year rather puzzling. In November last year An Bord Pleanála vindicated our campaign by rejecting Shell’s planned onshore pipeline, and the legality of any installation above the high water mark at Glengad is questionable. We will continue our campaign for the protection of our communities and the country’s natural resources

 Commenting on this weeks court proceedings, Maura Harrington stated “Gardaí battered and brutalised people under the 2006 'no-arrest policy', now in 2010, they are also putting selected people in jail. However we will continue our campaign and its heartening to see our support growing.”

 Other sentences for local campaigners today included:

Niall Harnett: 240 hours community service.

Martin McDonnell: 4 month jail sentence, suspended for 2 years with a bond to keep the peace.

Tony King and Kevin Moran: both received fines of €500.