A man has been found guilty of violent conduct during the Love Ulster parade riots in Dublin two years ago.
John O'Reilly (31), with an address in Harcourt Street was convicted by a jury at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court today of violent disorder on February 25th, 2006.
A press photographer had at the start of the trial identified six photographs he had taken along with 18 images on a compact disc, which were used as exhibits in the case.
Noel Gavin of The Starnewspaper said in evidence that he had worked in the industry for the last 38 years and the parade that day "was a scene of considerable confusion" with many people standing around doing "all kinds of things".
Mr Gavin agreed with defence counsel, Mr Roger Sweetman SC, that one of the images showed people throwing missiles on O'Connell Street but accepted that it also depicted other people standing around "with their hands in their pockets".
Garda John O'Sullivan identified a man in Mr Gavin's photographs as being O'Reilly.
He told prosecuting counsel, Mr John Quirke BL, he saw O'Reilly standing at the very front of the group of rioters throwing rocks. He then saw him standing on a median strip on O'Connell Street dropping a concrete slab and later saw him throwing two or three rocks.
He said there were 20 or 30 other people doing the same kind of thing. A public order Garda van was used to force the rioters back from the top of O'Connell Street towards O'Connell Bridge, leading to O'Reilly and two others being isolated from the group.
Garda O'Sullivan said he approached O'Reilly who shouted at him "fuck off you wankers", "go fuck your Union Jack, you union bastards" and called him and other gardaí "Free State bastards".
He arrested O'Reilly and after getting the assistance of another colleague to lift him off the ground when he refused to move.
O'Reilly who had pleaded not guilty said in evidence on day-two of his trial: "Cars being burnt, looting of shops - that's not the kind of person I am."
The jury convicted him after 15 minutes deliberation.