THE REMAINING DEFENDANTS who were due to face trial over the alleged false imprisonment of Joan Burton at a water protest in Jobstown, Dublin, have had all charges against them dropped.

The DPP has contacted lawyers for the parties and instructed them that their clients will no longer face trial for the alleged crimes.

A statement on the Jobstown Not Guilty Facebook page reads: “We’re pleased to tell all our supporters that all charges against the remaining Jobstown protesters have been dropped. After the unanimous ‘Not Guilty’ verdict in the first trial, it seems the DPP realised that no jury would convict any protesters! This is another vindication for our campaign and a big victory for all those who stand for the right to protest.”

The defendants will still have to turn up to court on 2 October where the charges will be struck out.

Socialist TD Paul Murphy, who was found not guilty in June of this year, said he was delighted with the outcome. However, he said he will continue to campaign to have the conviction of a 15-year-old in the non-jury Children’s Court overturned.

He said: “I’m delighted for all the remaining defendants and their families. I think it’s a tremendous victory and a defence of the right to protest.

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“But it does leave us in another farcical situation that the only person convicted is someone who was 15 at the time who was convicted in non-jury Children’s Court.”

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