Charges struck out in court against four John D's rioters
€90,000 OF DAMAGE CAUSED TO BALBRIGGAN PUB LEFT LIKE 'BATTLE-ZONE'
David Lawrence outside Balbriggan courthouse last week.
Wednesday July 28 2010
FOUR brothers, who were among a group that caused € 90,000 worth of damage to a Balbriggan pub they took over during a riot last year, were back at the local courthouse last week – just yards from the scene of the incident. David Lawrence, Gardiner's Hill, William Lawrence, Moylaragh Court, Martin Lawrence, The Dunes, Enniscrone, Co Sligo, and Christopher Lawrence, Mourne Park, Skerries, all appeared before Judge Patrick Brady last Thursday.
They had been remanded to appear following their Circuit Court trial in relation to the May Day riot at the former John D's Pub in the event there were still charges to be disposed of at District Court level.
However, the court heard the accused, along with another brother, Stephen Lawrence, of Pinewood Green Road, who did not appear as he was in custody, had already had all matters dealt with at the Circuit Court.
State solicitor, Ann Collins, told the court the Director of Public Prosecutions had ordered charges against the five to be struck out as the defendants had already been indicted.
The quintet, along with two other brothers - Paul Lawrence, Hamilton Terrace, and Brian Lawrence, Talbot Hall, Applewood, Swords – are due to be sentenced later this month for their part in the incident.
In the Circuit Court, Martin (41), David (37), Brian (31), Christopher (27), Paul (26), William (25) and Stephen (24) Lawrence all pleaded guilty to violent disorder at John D's on Bank Holiday Monday, May 4th, 2009.
Sgt Liam Donahue told the court the pub had been under the control of the group for around an hour-andthree-quarters before being reclaimed by force by the garda public order unit.
Sgt Donahue said owner William Roe had taken the lease on the pub the previous year and had spent some € 45,000 on decorating and fireproofing the building.
Mr Roe told gardaí the scene inside the pub after the incident was 'similar to a battle zone', as televisions, furniture, beer pumps, shelves and plaster work had been smashed and 103 panes of glass had to be refitted, while a snooker table had been pushed up against a back door to prevent gardaí gaining access.
Sgt Donahue said Mr Roe received a phone call from a member of staff at about 6.30pm that day to say that David Lawrence, who was barred from the pub, had been refused a drink.
