€2k offer if witness withdrew statement

A brown envelope containing €2,000 cash was handed over to a man walking his dog in a woodland by another man who wanted a witness not to give evidence in a trial.

David Stanton, of 5 Church Rd, Ballinacurra, Co Cork, was arraigned at Cork Circuit Criminal Court, where he replied: “I am a guilty man.”

Judge Seán Ó Donnabháin said that, considering all the circumstances, a two-year suspended jail term was appropriate on a charge of attempting to obstruct the course of justice.

Detective Sergeant Seán Leahy said Stanton, who is in his 60s, was informed of a complaint against him in July 2015 — for which he was since found not guilty.

Days after being informed of the allegation, Stanton approached the brother of the complainant who was walking his dog in a wooded area.

“He took out a brown envelope,” said Det Sgt Leahy. “He said there was €2,000 in the envelope. He said: ‘Give that to your brother to withdraw his statement and forget about everything.’ ”

This money was handed over to the gardaí, and Stanton was prosecuted on a charge of attempting to obstruct justice.

Stanton was interviewed and admitted handing over the money.

He said someone he trusted advised him to give the money to the complainant and he took that advice.

Det Sgt Leahy said the accused had been told not to have contact, direct or indirect, with the complainant.

Elizabeth O’Connell, defending, said this was not a case of intimidation or coercion or even of making direct contact.

The detective said the complainant felt intimidated and pressurised.

The judge said one could understand that the defendant was in turmoil at the time when he did this. Judge Ó Donnabháin said it was a serious matter to obstruct a case coming together and that it was not a mitigating factor to say he was acting on advice.

The seized €2,000 is to be paid to Pieta House, which offers counselling related to suicide.