Prison officer for trial over statement

A PRISON officer is to face trial after being charged yesterday with knowingly making a false statement to gardaí.

Robert O’Neill, 42, who is an officer at Mountjoy Jail in Dublin, appeared before Dublin District Court yesterday morning.

Judge Denis McLaughlin sent the case forward for trial to the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, where it will be heard in the coming weeks.

The prison officer is charged with knowingly making a false statement tending to show an offence had been committed, contrary to Section 12 (a) of the Criminal Law Act, 1976.

Last month, a charge against Mr O’Neill, in relation to the same alleged offence, was struck out by the Dublin District Court after the prosecution failed to produce the book of evidence, or the State’s case against him, on time.

Yesterday, gardaí re-arrested Mr O’Neill and charged him with the same offence at the Bridewell District Court. The prosecution presented their book of evidence and the case was sent forward for trial.

The alleged offence took place on May 4, 2006, and Mr O’Neill made a statement to gardaí at Mountjoy Station the following day.