Pub refused late licences over CCTV disc delay

ONE of Limerick’s best-known pubs was yesterday refused a number of late-night exemptions over a delay in getting a CCTV disc to gardaí who were investigating reports of an assault.

When the CCTV disc was handed over three months later, it contained material from Molly Malone’s in Ellen Street which the gardaí were looking for.

Publican Greg Meaney told the court he handed in the CCTV material sought by the gardaí two days after they called following an incident. The businessman said he was informed that the tapes were defective and said the CCTV might not be compatible with the Garda system.

Mr Meaney said he heard nothing for some months and when requested for the CCTV disc again he handed it over to gardaí.

Gardaí objected to a number of late-night drink exemptions due to the delay in handing over the CCTV.

The court heard that due to a fault in the pub’s CCTV system a tape requested by gardaí last December — in relation to a separate matter — had been damaged. Subsequently, the pub installed a new system. Garda Marie Armstrong said she and colleague went to Molly Malone’s on March 9 following reports of an assault. She got a CCTV disc subsequently, but then could not get material from it and gave it back. She received another CCTV disc in June which had been handed in for her attention at Henry Street Garda Station. It was the proper CCTV material which she wanted for the night of the reported assault.

Greg Meaney, in evidence, said after handing over the disc on March 9, Gda Armstrong contacted him to say there was nothing on the disc. He told her that his CCTV software and the Garda software might not be compatible. He heard no more about it until about two months later when he was requested for the disc. He handed in four discs to the Garda station.

Mr Meaney said he had been a publican for 13 years and in the past had been a State witness in a case involving CCTV evidence. He always had complied with requests from gardaí for any CCTV material.

Refusing the late-night drinks licence sought for Molly Malone’s, Judge Tom O’Donnell said CCTV can be an invaluable tool to both defence and prosecution in cases.

A period of 30 days for handing over CCTV to gardaí had been set down and he was satisfied the request for a disc on March 9 was not complied with.

Judge O’Donnell said he would not grant late-night exemptions for the premises until gardaí confirmed the CCTV system at the pub was up to date.