Govt position on Judge Curtin unchanged by Tralee arrest

Justice Minister Michael McDowell has insisted that the Government’s position on Judge Brian Curtin has not changed following his arrest at the weekend.

Mr Curtin was arrested after he was stopped at the Ashe Street roundabout in Tralee, Co Kerry, at around 11.30pm on Saturday night.

The DPP will decide whether to bring charges against him after tests are conducted on a urine sample that he gave to gardaí.

Mr McDowell said what had occurred had nothing to do with the Government’s position on Judge Curtin.

The Government has sought an explanation from the judge on how his credit card was allegedly used to purchase child pornography on the internet before deciding whether to instigate impeachment proceedings.

Mr Curtin was charged with possessing child pornography following a raid on his home in May 2002, but the trial collapsed last month. The warrant used to execute the search was out of date.