Michael Corrigan: Hollywood stuntman sentenced for unlawful protest participation

A movie stuntman who attended two protests while riding a horse told the court why he believed the protests were an exemption to Covid-19 restrictions in place at the time.

A movie stunt man rider who participated in two Covid-19 lockdown protests on horse back in the space of 10 days has walked from court on Thursday.

Michael Corrigan, 53, pleaded guilty to unlawfully participating in an outdoor gathering in a stay at home area.

The charge relates to a protest in Murwillumbah on August 31, 2021.

According to the agreed facts, the unlawful protest began in the morning where participants marched from Knox Park to the Tweed Council Chambers on Tumbulgum Rd with a group of about 500 at its peak.

The group began to disperse through Murwillumbah with about 100 people remaining in Knox Park when Corrigan arrived on his horse.

According to the agreed facts Corrigan’s presence hindered police efforts to disperse the gathering as the group converged around him while Corrigan yelled out an array of discontent regarding the restrictions.

Michael Corrigan rode his horse to a protest in Murwillumbah on August 31, 2021.

The protest came after Corrigan attended a similar protest at Tweed Heads and Coolangatta on August 22 where he received an infringement notice.

Corrigan attended the Murwillumbah police station on September 1 where when he was asked if he intended on attending further protests on the horse he said yes.

He was arrested and released on bail.

Corrigan’s guilty plea came after he previously attempted to traverse a previous guilty plea, making allegations his lawyer at the time misrepresented him.

Corrigan appeared in Murwillumbah Local Court on Thursday self represented where he asked the court to consider leniency as he had to attend five times and by being placed on bail.

This was not accepted as extra curial punishment by Magistrate Michael Dakin.

Corrigan told the court he believed the protest was an essential reason for gathering and therefore an exemption to the stay-at-home requirements in place at the time.

Michael Corrigan rode a horse at a protest on the state border on August 22, 2021. Picture: Richard Gosling

Mr Dakin said he could not accept that political protests would be covered by essential reasons for gathering.

“I have a great deal of trouble understanding how that could be your state of mind,” Mr Dakin said.

“About 10 days earlier you participated in a protest of a similar type in Tweed Heads.

“You were issued a penalty infringement notice by police for participating in an unauthorised gathering.”

Michael Corrigan leaves Murwillumbah Local Court on May 26, 2022 after being sentenced.

Corrigan said he’d intended to fight the fine but missed his court date and the matter was dealt with in his absence.

“I didn't believe at that time that fine would stick,” he said.

Mr Dakin said Corrigan’s behaviour was “selfish” and his moral culpability was heightened by participating in the second protest.

“Australia has a proud history of peaceful protest,” Mr Dakin said.

“There is a requirement for those protests to be approved – (the protest) was never going to be approved.”

Corrigan was convicted and sentenced to a two year community corrections order with a good behaviour condition.