Jury sworn in for trial of gardaí and Superintendent accused of attempting to pervert the course of justice
David Raleigh
A jury has been sworn in to hear the trial of four serving gardaí and a retired Garda Superintendent accused of attempting to pervert the course of justice.
The jury of eight men and four women was sworn in before the Limerick Circuit Criminal Court and told that the trial would likely last up to six weeks.
The five accused are retired Garda Superintendent Eamon O'Neill, formerly Roxboro Road Garda Station; Sgt Michelle Leahy, Roxboro Road Garda Station; Sgt Anne-Marie Hassett, Kerry Garda Division, formerly Limerick; Garda Tom McGlinchey, Murroe Garda Station; and Garda Colm Geary, Clare Garda Division.
The five accused, who each pleaded not guilty in court, are facing a total of 42 counts of attempting to pervert the course of justice in relation to fixed charge penalty notices.
Prosecuting barrister, senior counsel, Carol Hanahoe, with junior counsels Jane Horgan Jones and Amy Walsh, told the court the fixed charge penalty notices related to a number of persons who were “prominent in the sporting community in Co Limerick and the wider environs”.
The jury heard that the five accused, while serving as members of An Garda Siochana, did communicate with other gardai for the proposed of terminating fixed charge penalty notices on dates for persons on dates between October 2016 and September 2019.
According to the charges, the fixed charge penalty points involved relate to alleged road traffic offences including speeding, failing to produce insurance, holding a mobile phone while driving, failing to wear a seatbelt, and driving without insurance.
The charges were brought against the five accused following a lengthy investigation by the Garda National Bureau of Criminal Investigation (GNBCI).
Each accused is represented by a senior counsel, and a number of junior counsels, instructed by a solicitor.
Eamon O’Neill, represented by senior counsel Felix McEnroy, and junior counsels Amy Nix and Breffni Gordon and Denise London, instructed by Dan O’Gorman Solicitors, is accused of 30 of the 42 total alleged offences, while he was a serving Garda Superintendent.
Sergeant Michelle Leahy, represented by senior defence counsel, Andrew Sexton, and junior counsels Liam Carroll and Maria Brosnan, instructed by Sarah Ryan Solicitors, Limerick, is facing two charges.
Sergeant Anne Marie Hassett, represented by senior counsel Jim O’Mahoney, and junior counsels Yvonne Quinn and Jessica Kelleher, instructed by solicitor Dan Murphy, Carey Murphy Sols, Cork, is charged with three out of the total offences.
Garda Tom McGlinchey, represented by senior counsel John Byrne, and junior counsels Kenny Keirns and Ben O’Connor, instructed by Hughes and Murphy Solicitors, is accused of four of the charges.
Garda Colm Geary, represented by senior counsel Vincent Heneghan, and junior counsels Kevin Roche and Brian Lindsay, is facing three charges.
The court heard that around 100 witnesses may be called to give evidence, including senior ranking gardai attached to the Garda National Bureau of Criminal Investigation (GNBCI) and from stations around the country; as well as civilian witnesses, including IT analysts attached to national GoSafe speed vans, mobile phone telecommunications experts, An Post employees, and persons working within the Department of Transport.
Detective Chief Superintendent Walter O’Sullivan, head of the Garda National Bureau of Criminal Investigation (GNBCI), now retired, previously gave evidence before Limerick District Court of arresting and charging all five accused at Mayorstone Garda Station, on April 29th 2021.
None of the five accused replied when charged.
All five accused have been on continuing bail since their arrest four years ago.
On Monday the jury was told to return to court on Tuesday, for the opening days evidence.
