Court hears woman allegedly caused criminal damage to courthouse during boyfriend's trial

A young woman was arrested and charged with attempting to pervert the course of justice during the jury trial of her boyfriend for firing a shot into a house in Cork injuring a woman.

Detective Garda Stephen Fuller formally arrested Megan O’Connor, 22, of 30 Ardcullen, Hollyhill, Cork, and charged her with two offences.

The first was a count of criminal damage where it was alleged that on November 21, 2016, at the courthouse on Washington Street, Cork, she caused criminal damage to the façade of the building.

The other charge was that at the same date and place she allegedly attempted to commit the offence of perverting the course of justice contrary to Common Law.

Det Garda Fuller said the Director of Public Prosecutions had directed trial by indictment if there was a plea of not guilty and only at Cork District Court if there was a plea of guilty.

Defence solicitor, Michael Quinlan, asked for copies of the prosecution evidence so that the defence could consider the approach to the matter.

Det Garda Fuller told Judge Olann Kelleher that the charges related to alleged incidents during the trial by judge and jury of a man who denied charges relating to firing a shot from a gun into a house in Cork. The jury found him guilty and he was jailed for 14 years in November 2016.

The detective said that during the trial there were applications to have the jury discharged because of a message painted on the façade of the courthouse in relation to the accused and on the same day when a man entered the courtroom and called the accused man a rat. The trial judge refused the applications to discharge the jury.

Det Garda Fuller said that in the case against Megan O’Connor it was alleged that she was the partner of the man on trial and that she organised both incidents – the writing on the courthouse façade and the comment shouted by a man who entered the courtroom.

Judge Kelleher adjourned the case against Megan O’Connor until October 3. She was remanded on bail on condition that she would sign on at Gurranabraher garda station on Tuesdays and Fridays and not leave the country.