Suspended sentence for Midleton man who climbed on Whitegate tanker during fuel protests

A 51-year-old businessman who pleaded guilty to causing an obstruction by climbing on top of an oil tanker at Whitegate Refinery in Co Cork during the fuel protests has received a two-month suspended prison sentence and a €1,500 fine.

Midleton District Court heard that Ivor Sweeney spent one hour and 15 minutes on top of a tanker on April 10 this year.

Defence solicitor Wayne O’Sullivan said that Sweeney, of Coolbawn Lodge, Bailick Rd, Midleton, was remorseful for his actions.

Sweeney pleaded guilty to an offence on April 10 at Main St, Whitegate, where he allowed a mechanically-propelled vehicle to remain in place for such a period as to cause, or be likely to cause, an obstruction to traffic.

The offence was contrary to Section 98 of the Road Traffic Act 1961 and Section 102 of the Road Traffic Act 1961, as amended by the Road Traffic Act 2006.

Court presenter Sergeant Majella O’Sullivan said gardaí were in attendance at a blockade of Whitegate Refinery on April 10.

Sgt O’Sullivan said two trained Garda negotiators were called in to deal with the situation.

She said Sweeney climbed on top of the tanker in order to cause a traffic obstruction. She said he failed to alight from the vehicle, and described the offence as being at the “most serious end of the scale”. The sergeant said it was an “extraordinary emergency event”.

Judge Colm Roberts said Sweeney failed to comply with directions given by An Garda Síochána.

Ivor Sweeney told the court he went to Whitegate to exercise his right to democratic protest. He said that, in hindsight, his actions were a mistake.