Court rejects claim that investigation was 'sham' in IRA trial

The Special Criminal Court has ruled against lawyers for a father of three accused of IRA membership, that his arrest by Gardaí was invalid and that the investigation was a "sham".

Lawyers for Barry O'Brien had argued that his arrest at his home in Mountainview Court, Dundalk, Co Louth, in April 2004 was invalid because his house was searched on the belief that firearms would be discovered there. None were found.