AUDIOVISUAL TECHNICIAN AND stage rigger Stephen Bedford, 36, has been accused of endangerment of life when he allegedly drove into an anti-immigration protest.

He was originally accused of dangerous driving at Amiens Street, in the north inner city, after a protester was hospitalised on 15 February.

Bedford, with an address at a hostel on Usher’s Quay, Dublin 8, remains on bail with strict terms.

He appeared again at Dublin District Court when Garda Eoin Canon told Judge Patricia Cronin that he charged Bedford with four additional offences.

According to the new charges, he is now also accused of dangerous driving at Seville Place, being an unaccompanied learner driver, dangerous driving causing harm to a named male at Amiens Street, and endangerment of life at the Five Lamps Junction, where he allegedly drove through a crowd of people.

Garda Canon said Bedford “made no reply” to the new charges.

Judge Cronin also heard that the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) directed trial on indictment in the Circuit Court, which can, on conviction, impose harsher penalties.

Bedford had already indicated he wished to have a trial before a judge and jury.

Judge Cronin applied his existing bail terms to the new charges and ordered him to appear again at the District Court on 25 September to be served with a book of evidence and sent forward for trial.

The accused told the court he intended to be out of the country and sought an extended adjournment to avoid coming back to find the book of evidence was not ready.

His barrister Ciara Murray said her client wished to be able to travel for work. However, he must obey an order to sign on three times a week.

Garda Canon said he had received correspondence from Bedford about his work, but it was “very vague” and without dates, and stated “over the summer”.

Earlier, the court had heard that the investigating officer was amenable to changing the bail terms subject to being provided with proof of employment.

The court heard today that the garda requested specific dates but he had yet to receive them.

The judge told Bedford the order was that he would be excused if he provided the work details in writing.

At an earlier hearing, the defendant complained that the pending case was “impacting on my ability to work” and wished to travel for an employment opportunity. He said gardaí had seized his jeep, which he needed for work, but that he won’t get it back until after the trial.

The court sergeant said it is “a bit more complicated” because of the injuries alleged.

At his first hearing in February, Bedford claimed people “threw” themselves in front of his car. Garda Cannon had told the court that Bedford had “strong political and moral beliefs”.

A protest in Dublin’s north inner city led to a “tense stand-off” with Bedford’s counter-demonstration.

Gardaí advised Bedford to leave for his safety, and he left at about 7.30 pm in his jeep. The court has heard that two people from the other protest were on his bonnet at one stage.

One was hospitalised but the level of injury was not stated.

Bedford allegedly “live-streamed it onto Facebook via his phone”.

The defence had said a group of 60 to 100 were there to demonstrate against “anti-immigration protesters”, that Bedford used a PA system, and there was a lot of animosity between the groups.

The court heard Bedford maintained that he was threatened and left but came across a second branch of the protesters and tried to drive slowly.

He had claimed they had threatened to kill him previously. However, Garda Cannon said he could have used four other routes, and there was no official record of the threats.

The court had heard he usually streamed his demonstrations on Facebook.

He had given evidence at the bail hearing and alleged people in the anti-immigration protest shouted, “that’s him, that’s him”, and “threw themselves in front of my car” as he “tried to get away”.

His bail terms state he must sign on three days a week at a garda station, not attend demonstrations involving anti-immigration protests, and not drive any motor vehicles.