Former Rihanna bodyguard who drew 'ancient symbols' outside garda station ‘to remove evil spirits' has conviction overturned
Geoffrey Keating (47), with an address at Woodbank Drive, Finglas, Dublin 11 originally pleaded not guilty to criminal damage under the Criminal Damage Act, 1991 in the District Court.
The District Court Appeals Court last week heard that Mr Keating had drawn three large 'XE' symbols in blue chalk on the ground outside Finglas Garda Station on Mellows Road, Dublin 11, on the evening of May 9, 2022.
Garda Joseph Rogers said Mr Keating told him that if garda members passed over the symbols, it would 'remove evil spirits to protect the children of Finglas' and that he would 'go to any lengths to protect children'.
Garda Rogers arrested Mr Keating for criminal damage and he was later convicted in Blanchardstown District Court on May 27, 2022 where he was given a fine of €200.
Giving evidence today, Mr Keating told the court that he is a 'spiritualist', adding that the old symbols hold a lot of meaning to him and they are similar to his Nordic tattoos.
He said that he had no intention of doing criminal damage and that his aim was to draw the symbols and explain their meaning to gardaí.
Mr Keating, who was pop star Rihanna's head of security in 2012 and 2013, explained that he believes the symbols 'stop bad things from happening'.
Mr Keating said that his intention was to make a protest statement 'to stop the abuse of disadvantaged minors' and that he engages in a lot of advocacy for children in his local community.
'I didn't know it was illegal. To me it was akin to doing hopscotch on the ground,' he told the appeals court.
Defence counsel for Mr Keating, Patrick Flynn BL, said that the conviction for criminal damage was a disproportionate reaction to a peaceful act of protest.
Judge Catherine White said she agreed with the defence in this case that the conviction was disproportionate and allowed Mr Keating's appeal against his conviction.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Sunday World
11 hours ago
- Sunday World
Man jailed for peeing in Garda cell after his arrest
When he was put into the holding cell, Andrew O'Neill urinated on a cell door A Dublin man has been jailed for two months for urinating in a Garda cell in Co Donegal after he was arrested. Andrew O'Neill appeared at Letterkenny District Court after a drunken episode at Letterkenny bus station on April 3rd, 2024. The 34-year-old was drunk and becoming aggressive with a bus driver at 1.35pm on the day in question. Gardai were called and O'Neill, of Gardiner Street in Dublin, was arrested and taken to Letterkenny Garda Station and was searched. Stock image News in 90 Seconds - 6th June 2025 A quantity of drugs with a street value of €40 was found on the accused. When he was put into the holding cell, O'Neill urinated on a cell door. He was charged with causing criminal damage, being intoxicated in a public place and failing to comply with the directions of An Garda Siochana. O'Neill, who has 58 previous convictions including many under the Misuse of Drugs Act, is currently in custody on other matters. Solicitor for the accused, Mr Rory O'Brien said his client had come to Donegal from his native Dublin in a bid to kick his drug habit. On the day he was under the influence and Mr O'Brien said his client regrets all that happened. He added that when this happened he was on a "downward spiral" through alcohol and that he continues to need a significant amount of assistance for his addiction. Judge Eiteain Cunningham put it to Garda Sergeant Jim Collins that she presumed the station cell required a "deep clean" following the incident adding that this was simply "not acceptable behaviour." Judge Cunningham sentenced O'Neill to two months in prison for the criminal damage charge and took the other charges into consideration.
The Journal
13 hours ago
- The Journal
Grandmother handed three-year restraining order over online abuse of daughter and grandchildren
A JUDGE HAS imposed a three-year restraining order on a Dublin grandmother, barring her from posting online about her daughter after she allegedly harassed her and wished death on her grandchildren. The young woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, resorted to using anti-stalking laws and applied for the order at Dublin District Court. However, her estranged mother did not attend the scheduled hearing to contest the claims against her. 'My mother is harassing me,' her adult daughter told Judge Anthony Halpin, adding that she had been subjected to online abuse, including 'she hopes my kids die'. Asked why this happened, the woman, in her twenties, explained that she had been taken into care when she was young and there had been a fractured relationship since. She told the court that the posts started nine weeks ago after five years of no contact. Advertisement The woman believed her mother was 'retaliating for having no contact with or access to her grandchildren'. On reviewing printouts of the posts, Judge Halpin stated he was satisfied the woman had made a reasonable case for a civil restraining order barring unwanted contact and online posts about the applicant. He held that it was appropriate to compel the respondent from harassing or placing her daughter in fear. Judge Halpin said gardaí would serve the order on the grandmother, and the court had a wide range of sanctions available if she broke the terms. Breaching them can result in the subject of the order being brought to court, jailed for up to a year and a maximum €4,000 fine. The restraining orders were introduced in the Criminal Justice (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2023 as a remedy for people seeking protection. The District Court may issue an order to prevent the respondent from violence or threats, stalking, harassing or approaching the applicant's home, work, or school. It can run for up to five years, but may be shorter depending on the presiding judge's assessment.
Irish Independent
15 hours ago
- Irish Independent
Driver before Sligo District Court for no insurance was disqualified
Sligo Champion Today at 09:00 A 45-year-old man before Sligo District Court charged with no insurance and driving without a driver's licence was disqualified at the time of the offences. Marcin Urbaniak, Ríoch na Sí, Ballygawley, Sligo was charged with the offences at Abbey Street, Sligo on May 25 2024. Sgt Keith Marron said gardaí were on patrol and a vehicle was crossing a junction in contravention to the traffic signs.
