AN ANTI-COVID vaccination campaigner has been arrested by gardaí in Co Donegal.

The 44-year-old man appeared at Letterkenny District Court where he was facing road traffic charges.

However, directly after the brief appearance, he was arrested by gardaí within the lobby of the court over a separate issue.

The man was taken away and is currently being questioned at Letterkenny Garda Station.

It is understood the arrest relates to an incident at Letterkenny University Hospital when seriously ill Covid patient Joe McCarron was assisted in leaving the hospital on 14 September last.

McCarron died a couple of days later in the hospital after he had been returned there by his family. A video of the incident shows a man telling doctors and security officers that he is helping McCarron to leave the hospital.

Doctors are filmed asking McCarron not to leave the hospital and advising him that he is very ill with Covid.

Road traffic offences

The man arrested had appeared in court today in connection with road traffic offences in Co Clare.

However, when he was leaving he was approached by a number of both uniformed and plain-clothed gardaí.

He was read his rights by Detective Garda Frank McDaid and escorted away in a Garda vehicle to Letterkenny Garda Station.

A spokesperson for the Garda Press Office confirmed a man was arrested at Letterkenny District Court earlier today.

“We can confirm that gardaí in Letterkenny conducted an arrest this afternoon at Letterkenny District Court. Investigations are ongoing.”