A 17-year-old boy is planning to appeal the guilty verdicts handed down today for falsely imprisoning Joan Burton and her adviser in November 2014.

He was just 15 when he blocked them from leaving a graduation ceremony in Jobstown in Dublin by standing in front of two Garda vehicles.

The court heard a large group of water charge protesters surrounded an unmarked car and a jeep resulting in them being trapped for hours.

The teenager, who can’t be named because of his age, was also found to have stood in front of a jeep they were later transferred to.

The judge described the boy as an “active participant” but decided not to give him a criminal record if he stays out of trouble for the next nine months.

Judge John King said he was satisfied that all elements of common design were made out and the offences were proven beyond a reasonable doubt.

The maximum penalty for false imprisonment at District Court level is 12 months in prison.

Afterwards, his solicitor Michael Finucane said they intended to appeal: