The National Police (Garda) said that when he entered the bus, he outlined the legislation to the defendant, telling him he was committing an offence under the Health Act 1947.
Mr Heasman told the court that he was exempt from wearing a mask for health reasons and he had told the officer that at the time. The officer asked him for medical evidence but Heasman told the officer that he was not required to provide it due to the data protection on personal health and medical records.
He described the charges against him as “trumped up”.
Judge Fiona Lydon said that in the light of the public health emergency, Mr Heasman’s behavior had been ‘totally inappropriate”.