Former garda admits he perverted course of justice

A former garda who perverted the course of justice on two occasions and admitted having cocaine for sale or supply will be sentenced next month.

Stephen Cooper, 29, allowed a friend take the blame when gardaí found the drug LSD during a search at the Electric Picnic music festival.

Cooper of The Green, Kingswood Heights, Tallaght, pleaded guilty to perverting the course of justice between September 5, 2009, and September 2, 2010, by knowingly allowing Luke Barnett to be wrongfully prosecuted on September 2, 2010.

At Dublin Circuit Criminal Court yesterday Judge Mary Ellen Ring remanded Cooper in continuing custody and adjourned the matter until May 1 next. The sentencing was previously adjourned after evidence of the offences were heard last month.

Cooper also pleaded guilty to perverting the course of justice between August 19, 2010, and October 21, 2011, when he attempted to get Stephanie Lynch to make a false statement implicating Wayne Finane in the theft of a car.

He also pleaded guilty to deception of Axa Insurance on November 12, 2010 by making a false insurance claim. Cooper made a false report to gardaí that the canopy of his 4x4 had been stolen when in fact it had blown off the car while he was driving along the M50 motorway on September 15, 2010.

Cooper also pleaded guilty to possession of cocaine for sale or supply at Ormond Quay on January 31, 2011.