Gardaí deny tipping off RTÉ over Kerry stabbings

Gardaí yesterday refuted a suggestion they had tipped off an RTÉ radio programme about an early morning incident in Co Kerry in which a father and son were stabbed.

Directions from the DPP have not been received eight weeks after an alleged incident in which the pair were attacked in their home, a solicitor complained at Tralee District Court yesterday.

The early morning incident in Tralee had attracted nationwide publicity almost immediately, but that contrasted with the delay involved in directions, solicitor Pa Daly said.

A complaint about the immediate publicity surrounding the matter forced gardaí to refute any suggestion they tipped off RTÉ’s Morning Ireland about the incident.

An accused man, 23-year-old Brian Keane was before the court yesterday. He has been in custody since shortly after the alleged stabbing two months ago.

However the DPP has still not issued directions, nor has a psychiatric report been prepared, the court was told. Mr Keane, of no fixed abode, is charged with trespass at Woodbrook Lawn, Tralee, the home of the Fital family, on November 11 last.

He is also charged with assault causing harm (Section 3 of the Non-Fatal offences Against the Person Act) to Kamil Fital, aged 47, at Woodbrook Lawn and with the same offence in connection with 17-year-old Hubert Fital at the same location.