Judge Curtin loses Supreme Court challenge to inquiry

CIRCUIT Court Judge Brian Curtin has lost his Supreme Court challenge to an Oireachtas inquiry, which could lead to his removal from office if allegations of possession of child pornography are proved to be true.

The seven-judge court also ruled yesterday that an Oireachtas Joint Committee has power to direct the judge to give to it a computer, seized from his home, which allegedly contains images of child pornography.

However, while rejecting the challenge by Judge Curtin on all grounds, the court did express support for his claim he should be entitled to a decision by the Houses of the Oireachtas on whether he was guilty of the stated misbehaviour before the Houses vote on a resolution for his removal from office.