Eoin Berkeley has been cleared of all charges for the homophobic vandalisation of the George due to technical arguments made by defence solicitor Tony Collier.

The 24-year-old from Hamptonwood Way, Finglas, Dublin 11, pleaded not guilty to causing criminal damage through the use of chalk graffiti on the facade of the George Bar on May 20th last year.

Berkeley was accused of drawing a Nazi swastika alongside the words “Faggots out, faggot, faggot bar, homo fag”

His trial was held at Cloverhill District Court, where a maximum sentence of one year can be handed down. The court heard he was getting psychiatric and psychological treatment.

He was wearing a “racoon onesie” when he was arrested shortly after the attack.

Gardai were initially able to identify him as the suspect having viewed the George security footage and he allegedly admitted the crime to Gardai during interrogation.

Garda Lorcan Murphy of Pearse Street Garda station told the court that Mr Berkeley: “made full admissions that it was him on the CCTV and it was him that wrote these words and images on the front of the George pub”.

Darragh Flynn, the general manager of the George, was called to give evidence and said he watched the CCTV footage of the incident which showed a person in a onesie.

The defence solicitor argued that Flynn was not the manager listed on the charge sheet and the injured party. Judge Blake was told that the named no longer worked there but Mr Flynn had the same rank.

He was granted a dismissal following arguments made by defence solicitor Tony Collier.

He contended that the case had to be thrown out due to gaps in evidence in terms of CCTV footage and the absence of the Garda witness who conducted the original interview where Berkely confessed to the crime.

An invoice for clean-up work was furnished to the court.

Eoin Berkeley has 23 previous convictions including weapons offences, possessing knives and an imitation firearm.

Mr Berkeley smiled throughout proceedings but did not address the court. He has been in prison on remand since July when his bail was revoked.