Suspended sentence for 'Love Ulster' riot offence
A man who attempted to block a fire engine during the 2006 "Love Ulster" riot has escaped with a suspended sentence at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Shane Day (aged 20) of St Columbanis Place, Milltown threw rocks and glass bottles at riot police and tied a rope around a fence in an attempt to stop a fire engine getting through. He pleaded guilty to violent disorder during the riots on 4 February 2006.
Judge Katherine Delahunt sentenced him to two years but suspended it in full for three years. She also ordered him to remain under the probation service's supervision for two years.
She noted Day has being well-behaved since the riots but warned him if he appeared in court again he would serve the full term.
Garda Cormac Walsh told prosecuting counsel, Ms Úna Ni Raifeartaigh BL, that a colleague of his recognised Day on O'Connell Street during the disturbances and saw him throwing missiles and shouting at gardai.
Day was arrested one month later and admitted he had been involved in rioting for "about an hour and half." He said he had gotten a lift into the city centre to buy 'runners' and didn't know there was any trouble. He started rioting when he saw others do so on O'Connell Street.
Garda Walsh said Day had 50 previous convictions including criminal damage and road traffic offences and had been arrested the night before the riots in Dundrum for violent disorder.
