Former Tanaiste Joan Burton says  she was frightened when she was allegedly trapped in two garda cars during an anti-water charge protest in Jobstown in Co Dublin.

Joan Burton has been giving evidence in the trial of a 17 year old boy, who denies falsely imprisoning her and her advisor, in November 2014.

Ms Burton has told the Children’s Court she was at a graduation ceremony in An Cosan when she saw some protestors and two water balloons were thrown on her.

She said a young man came up to her with a phone and said ‘talk to us joan’.

She went to leave the ceremony and got into the back of an unmarked garda car with her advisor where she said people were banging on the car and using derogatory terms.

She said there was an air of hostility and she and her advisor were then moved into another garda jeep and she said plastic bottles and eggs were thrown at it.

The Labour TD described it as a very difficult and unpleasant situation.

She said she was worried about children who were nearby and she was also concerned about what would happen if someone managed to open the car doors.

Ms Burton said she then had to run with gardai to a third garda car and she flung herself into it and they drove her away.

Under cross examination, Ms Burton denied there was any political motivation about her voicing her concerns about the children who were present during the demonstration.