Judge rejects application to switch Limerick garda trial to Dublin 

Four serving gardaí and a retired garda superintendent, who are accused of over 40 counts of attempting to pervert the course of justice, will face trial in Limerick.

Four serving gardaí and a retired garda superintendent, who are accused of over 40 counts of attempting to pervert the course of justice, will face trial in Limerick after a judge refused an application to have the case moved to Dublin.

The five accused, who have all served within the Limerick Garda Division, are retired Garda Superintendent Eamon O’Neill, Sergeant Anne-Marie Hassett, Sergeant Michelle Leahy, Garda Tom McGlinchey, and Garda Colm Geary.

All five are alleged to have been involved in attempting to “square away” road traffic offences for a number of individuals, including Limerick hurlers, a politician, and a media personality, on dates between January 2018 and September 2019.

The DPP sought to have the trial moved to Dublin, saying many who stood to benefit from the actions are “high-profile individuals”.

Michael Delaney, for the DPP, argued it would be difficult to find an “impartial jury” in Limerick.

Mr Delaney said the application was “triggered” by three articles by journalist Mick Clifford and published by the Irish Examiner, as well as statements about the case by two TDs in the Dáil, and a story in local media.

He said the DPP had concerns that the articles and public commentary were “highly prejudicial” and the material potentially “reflects a view on the ground in the areas of the potential jurors, which is strongly sympathetic to the accused, or hostile to the investigation, or both”.

James Dwyer, who resisted the DPP’s application on behalf of the five accused, described Mr Clifford as “a journalist of great reputation”, saying the articles were “balanced and carefully worded”.

He argued there would be a “very considerable fade factor”, as the trial would not likely take place for at least a year or two.

Rejecting the DPP’s application, Judge Tom O’Donnell said the trial would “attract media attention and comment, no matter where it occurred”.

He said he was satisfied the DPP had “not established” its contention that there might be “a risk of an impartial jury”.

Judge O’Donnell added that, as “a lawyer and a judge with 40 years’ experience”, he was satisfied that a Limerick jury could be trusted to hear the case impartially.