Another week of waiting for Croker couple

A STUDENT couple caught having a semi-naked romp in the middle of Croke Park on the night before the All-Ireland hurling final last year will have to wait another week to find out if they face conviction for their romantic escapade.

Dublin District Court heard yesterday the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) wanted to drop the charge of trespass with intent against TCD student Sinéad Duffy, 23, and her boyfriend, John Clarke, 24.

The pair had already pleaded guilty to the offence during an earlier hearing of the same court last year. They had also apologised and expressed deep embarrassment over their behaviour. The two students had agreed to pay 500 each to charity to avoid a conviction.

On the same occasion, garda witnesses accepted the couple had not intended to steal or damage property at Croke Park when they were arrested in the stadium on the night before the Clare-Kilkenny hurling final.

Both admitted climbing over a gate at Jones’ Road last September 7 at about 2am. The court heard Ms Duffy was “in a state of undress” when arrested in the centre of the Croke Park pitch by two gardaí.

Judge James Scally yesterday asked lawyers for the DPP to explain why they now wanted to drop the charge of trespass with intent.

The DPP did not have a completed file on the case during the couple’s first court appearance last September. The DPP had indicated at another hearing in December that the couple may not have committed any crime by entering Croke Park.

Judge Scally remarked at the time it was a “most unusual” development because a guilty plea had already been entered by the defendants.

Both Ms Duffy of Clonliffe Rd, Dublin, and Mr Clarke, a UCG student from Pinecroft, Douglas, Co Cork, were in court yesterday after a warrant for Ms Duffy’s arrest had been issued due to her non-attendance at an earlier hearing.

The judge adjourned the case until next Monday.