FORMER IRISH Farmers’ Association president John Dillon was jailed yesterday after refusing to pay a fine imposed on him by a court last year.
Mr Dillon had been fined €200 in May 2011 and ordered to pay costs of €2,000 after he refused to remove electronic signs he used to help run his general election campaign last year. Limerick County Council said the signs were a public hazard.
Shortly after 10am yesterday two uniformed gardaí travelled to Mr Dillon’s home in Pallasgreen, Co Limerick, and arrested him. He was then taken to Limerick Prison.
The 64-year-old widowed dairy farmer arrived at the prison at about 11am but was released three hours later after an unidentified person paid the €200 fine and €2,000 in court costs.
Mr Dillon said if somebody else had paid the fine, it had been without his consent. Speaking outside the prison after his release, a visibly shaken John Dillon said: “They took all my particulars and I was put into a cell, a very, very cold cell. It would freeze you fairly well, and then they called me a couple of hours later and said they were releasing me. They didn’t give me any reason. They just said ‘You’re released’.
“I was put into a cell with four walls, a very cold cell, and the seats weren’t too comfortable either. Another guy was put into the cell a short time after me. He did tell me that he is up in court again in the next couple of weeks for attempted murder.”
He added: “I never wanted to go to jail. Jail is not the place to be. That’s a place for criminals – I’m not a criminal, and I believe I should never have been put into jail. I never regretted anything I ever did in my life so, I don’t regret anything .”
Courts Service press officer Gerry Curran and a prison source confirmed the fine and court costs had been paid, but Mr Dillon maintained he had not paid the fine.
“I ordered anybody that paid a fine on my behalf would be actually an enemy of mine. I would not appreciate it or thank them one bit. There is no fine to be paid or no expenses. The expenses is a big issue of course. Two thousand euro expenses for one day in court and €200 of a fine. To me, that, in itself, was a bit over the top.”
Mr Dillon said he was offered lunch in jail but he refused, saying he would have gone on hunger strike for the eight days he was prepared to spend in jail.
He called for people to stand up to officialdom: “We need backbone in this country. We need people to do more than just negotiate. If you’re not prepared to sit down and negotiate on an ongoing basis, you’re going to get crumbs. You have to stand up to this type of society we’re in, and stand up and be counted, and have backbone.”
When asked whether his comments were part of another election bid, Mr Dillon replied: “I have no ideas about elections – this is nothing to do with elections.”
Mr Dillon was convicted by Newcastle West District Court in May 2011 for failing to remove flashing electronic signage which Limerick County Council claimed was a safety hazard.
The industrial-sized signs were erected at the side of roadways during last year’s general election campaign. Mr Dillon ran as an Independent candidate, but failed to get elected.
In court, Mr Dillon had argued he was entitled to use the signs, some of which bore the message “Dillon Delivers” as part of his election campaign.
The court heard that under the Planning Act, the use of the giant electronic flashing signs was not exempt from planning if considered a danger to public safety, or if considered an obstruction.
Judge Mary O’Halloran was told the council had written to Mr Dillon asking him to remove the signs. Mr Dillon said he never saw or handled any such letter.