A LETTERKENNY candidate jailed for non payment of a Covid fine has been released.
Anne McCloskey (67), of Chapel Road, was remanded in custody on Wednesday last over the non-payment of the fine imposed in 2022 for breaching Covid-19 regulations.
A gathering in support of Dr McCloskey outside Hydebank prison had been planned for Saturday, however, she was released on Friday.
She appeared before Derry Magistrates’ Court in connection with an unpaid Covid fine of £255.
She received 150 first preference votes in the Letterkenny local electoral area in last Friday’s election and is running as an Independent candidate in Foyle in the upcoming Westminster elections.
Dr McCloskey was given an immediate warrant to pay the amount or go to prison for 14 days and accused court officials of “fraud” by entering a plea of not guilty for her in relation to the original offences.
She went on to say she had been arrested on the foot of “a fake entity” – namely the Director of Public Prosecution who she said did “not exist in law or statute”.
As the defendant continued to speak, Judge Barney McElholm muted her microphone and said she was talking “nonsense”.
He said he had given Dr McCloskey an opportunity but she had gone off on “a diatribe”.
WHO IS DR MCCLOSKEY
Dr McCloskey was fined for breaching Covid regulations while speaking at an anti-lockdown rally in November 2020 in Derry.
She had been suspended from practising as a GP for six months from 24 October 2023 over comments about the Covid-19 vaccination.
She had expressed concerns in a social media video about young people taking Covid jabs, in August 2021.
She lost an appeal against that decision in January 2024.
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