Former Labour senator James Heffernan is to contest public order charges in connection with his arrest for walking into a crime scene in Dublin’s Temple Bar.
The 37-year-old, who is also a former Social Democrats member, was arrested on the night of March 10th, 2016, in Temple Bar square where gardaí had set up a perimeter following an unrelated serious assault.
Mr Heffernan, of Main Street, Kilfinane, Co Limerick, was released without charge later that night but a summons was subsequently issued. He was scheduled to appear at Dublin District Court on Thursday to face two offences under the Public Order Act.
One charge is for failing to leave the area in a peaceful and orderly fashion after being directed by a garda. The second charge is breach of the peace by engaging in threatening, abusive and insulting words or behaviour.
When his case was called on Thursday morning, Mr Heffernan was absent and a bench warrant was issued for his arrest.
About an hour later Mr Heffernan turned up to court and his solicitor Brian Keenan said his client had earlier been making his way to Dublin from Limerick. An application for legal aid was granted by the judge.
Failing to appear
On Thursday evening, Mr Heffernan appeared at a later sitting of Dublin District Court over an older bench warrant. He was charged with failing to appear in court in Limerick on May 19th last.
Garda Noel Gibbons said Mr Heffernan’s reply to this charge was: “I attended court that day and the judge left the bench.”
There was no objection to bail on his own bond of €100 and Judge Jones ordered him to appear again on this charge on June 23rd next. He was again granted legal aid.