Ballistic expert disputes evidence

A ballistics expert criticised prosecution evidence about a garda flash-bang grenade as preposterous, requiring the kind of chance that would see one winning the lottery twice in a row

John McGlinchey, forensic engineer, was in the witness box yesterday in the trial of a man charged with carrying a sawn-off shotgun in an attempted aggravated burglary on August 11, 2013

Mr McGlinchey gave his view on the evidence given by four members of the Garda Regional Support Unit, who said earlier in the trial that one of them threw the item, described as a stun grenade or a flash-bang grenade, and the handle fell with a clang causing the three suspects at the scene to turn around to face the gardaí and the grenade then gave off tremendous light.