A supporter of the so-called "Rossport Five" who painted "boycot" (sic) on a wall near a Statoil petrol station in Palmerstown will have to pay compensation to avoid conviction or clean off the graffiti himself, a judge at Kilmainham District Court has ruled.
Cathal Ó Murchú (22) of Rowlagh Park, Clondalkin, pleaded guilty to damaging a wall by spray-painting it at Kennelsfort Road, Palmerstown, Dublin, on October 1st.
Judge Ann Watkin told Ó Murchú: "Do you take the point that you were not entitled to do that? You are entitled to support any cause you like, but you are not entitled to spray graffiti."
His counsel said her client had a degree from Trinity College Dublin and a masters from NUI Galway.
Judge Watkin commented: "He's educated. His behaviour was outrageous."
She remanded Ó Murchú on continuing bail for four weeks for proposals for compensation.
She added that he could clean up the graffiti himself if he wanted to.
Ó Murchú also pleaded guilty to failing to appear at Kilmainham District Court on October 28th.
Sgt Maeve Furey told Judge Watkin that at 2.50am on October 1st, a garda had observed Ó Murchú spray-painting "boycot" on the wall beside a Statoil petrol station.
She added that the gardaí arrested him before he was able to complete the slogan.
Judge Watkin asked the defendant what the incident was about.
Ó Murchú replied: "It was related to the Rossport Five protest."