Judge's comments had 'real potential' to prejudice jury

The Court of Criminal Appeal has said a judge's "trenchant" public comments on knife crime had "real potential to prejudice" a jury.

Earlier this month, the Court overturned the murder convictions of Warren and Jeffrey Dumbrell of Emmet Place in Inchichore in Dublin and ordered their retrial.

Mr Justice Paul Carney gave his address on knife crime during a lecture in Cork.

Crucially, the Court of Criminal Appeal said he gave it on day five of a trial over which he was presiding that involved a fatal stabbing.

Among his comments was that sentences in such cases other than murder do not do justice to the victims or their families.

The three-judge court described his words as "'strong and trenchant" and had real potential to prejudice a jury.

While the court said it was satisfied Justice Carney never intended his address to influence the Dumbrell jury, it said he intended it to be widely publicised.