Wednesday 28 October 2026Compiled from published reports. Every claim links to its source.

Ireland Crime

Every case followed from the first report to the sentence, or to where the reporting stopped.

Case No. 2745Public order (threatening and abusive behaviour) · Co. Cork · 22 Dec 2023

Derek Blighe convicted and fined €400 over protest at asylum seeker centre in Fermoy

Derek Blighe, 44, leader of the Ireland First party, was convicted of a public-order offence and fined €400 at Fermoy District Court after refusing to make a donation to the Irish Refugee Council. The offence related to threatening and abusive behaviour during a protest at Abbeyville House, Fermoy, on 22 December 2023.

  1. Reportednot reported
  2. Arrestednot reported
  3. Chargednot reported
  4. In courtnot reported
  5. Convicted13 Dec
  6. Sentenced
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet

Key facts

consolidated from all reports
11 statements extracted from the articles
  • whatThe offence involved threatening and abusive behaviour during a protest at Abbeyville House, Fermoy (irishtimes.com)
  • whatBlighe recorded witness Christopher Gomez with his phone and uploaded the footage to Facebook (irishtimes.com)
  • whatIn the video, Blighe told Gomez to go back to where he came from (irishtimes.com)
  • whenThe incident occurred on 22 December 2023 (irishtimes.com)
  • courtBlighe was convicted of a public-order offence and fined €400 at Fermoy District Court (irishtimes.com)
  • courtJudge Colm Roberts gave Blighe the opportunity to avoid conviction by making a donation to the Irish Refugee Council (irishtimes.com)
  • otherBlighe refused to make a donation to the Irish Refugee Council to avoid a criminal conviction (irishtimes.com)
  • otherGomez had been an Irish citizen for 20 years (irishtimes.com)
  • otherBlighe had eight previous convictions including one for public order (irishtimes.com)
  • otherBlighe is the leader of the Ireland First party (irishtimes.com)
  • otherBlighe polled 2,475 votes in the Cork North Central constituency in the recent general election (irishtimes.com)

The reporting

newest first
  1. 13 Dec2024
    Convictedirishtimes.com, first report
    Derek Blighe convicted and fined after refusing to make donation to Irish Refugee Council

    Reports the conviction and €400 fine, details of the incident including the oil delivery confrontation and Facebook video, the judge's comments on immigration attitudes, and Blighe's eight previous convictions.

    suspect, Derek Blighe, 44, male, named, irish (judged from name)Derek Blighevictim, Christopher Gomez, male, non-irish (judged from name)Christopher Gomez