 In May 2006, Magistrate Kerry McGuiness handed down her decision regarding the charges of obstructing police after two months deliberation.McGuiness ruled that there was no evidence Dowling had committed any breach of the peace or was about to do so on the night of 1 September 2005 when the police arrested him.McGuiness then ruled there was no need to address the issue of whether Dowling had obstructed police, as one could not be convicted of obstructing police if the police had no lawful reason to detain you in the first place.