Traveller banned from Basildon

A TRAVELLER who threw rocks at police during the Dale Farm eviction has been banned from Basildon.

Padraig Egan, 26, who lived at Dale Farm for ten years, admitted affray after launching missiles at cops, who were assisting bailiffs with clearing illegal plots at the Travellers’ site in Crays Hill.

He was banned from entering the Basildon borough for six months and sentenced to four months in prison, suspended for a year, at Basildon Crown Court yesterday.

Vedrana Pehar, prosecuting, said: “On October 19 last year, police officers in full protective equipment advanced into Dale Farm in order to assist with the eviction of illegal plots.

“As police moved on to the site, people threw stones, bricks and pieces of wood at them.”

Egan, Ms Pehar told the court, was positioned behind a group of protesters holding black shields and picked up a rock, which he threw over the heads of the protesters towards police officers.

Ms Pehar said he then repeated the action with another rock.

No officers were hit in either incident.

Following his arrest, Egan told police in interviews he purposely threw the rocks so they “fell short” of where the cops were standing and only intended to scare them. James Mc-Crindell, defending, told the court Egan, who had no previous convictions, was now living in Potters Bar, Hertfordshire, but led a “nomadic lifestyle” and regularly travelled.

Judge Ian Graham, sentencing, said: “When there were the troubles at Dale Farm you were one of those who stayed at the farm.

“Even when police arrived to carry out the eviction, you took part in the trouble, and the part you took was to, on at least two occasions, throw rocks towards police officers.

“Fortunately for them, and now for you, no one was hit by any of your missiles, but nevertheless you took part in a well-known incident of public violence and one aimed towards police officers who were just doing their jobs.”

Egan was originally charged with violent disorder for his actions at the eviction, but the charge was dropped and changed to affray during court proceedings.

...but he still plans Wickford wedding

PADRAIG Egan’s ban from Basildon won’t prevent him getting married in Wickford this summer.

The six-month order preventing the former Dale Farm traveller from entering the district will be over in time for his wedding at Our Lady of Good Counsel Church, in London Road, in August.

Many Dale Farm Travellers worship at the church and Egan arranged to marry there because he has connections with its Catholic priest.

James McCrindell, mitigating, told the court: “Egan lived at Dale Farm for ten years so he developed ties in the area, but there’s no reason for him to come back to this county – save for his marriage he said was going to happen in August.”

The court also heard Egan was unable to pay any court costs because he had “never really worked” due to learning difficulties.

Mr McCrindell said Egan didn’t claim benefits and was supported by his family and the Traveller community.

The barrister added: “If he did claim benefits, his father wouldn’t be very pleased.”