DPP seeks to move Limerick gardaí penalty point squaring case to Dublin

The trial of four gardaí and a retired superintendent could take place in Dublin Circuit Court, the DPP's legal team said, citing extensive media coverage of the case

The charges are of alleged squaring away of traffic offences which include failing to produce insurance, holding a mobile phone while driving, no seatbelt, driving without insurance, and in one instance, “how to offset penalty points in respect of a speeding detection”. File photo: Dan Linehan

Lawyers for the Directors of Public Prosecutions (DPP) have indicated it will seek to move a trial out of Limerick to Dublin of four gardaí and a retired superintendent who are charged in connection with a major corruption in office investigation.

On December 13, a lawyer for the DPP addressed Limerick Circuit Court when the case against all five accused was listed before Judge Tom O’Donnell.

The court heard lawyers for the five accused have been sent correspondence from the DPP’s legal representatives flagging its intention to apply through the courts to transfer the trial from Limerick to Dublin Circuit Court, citing extensive media coverage of the case.

Earlier this year, the five accused were served with books of evidence, and they were returned for trial to Limerick Circuit Court on a total of 42 charges of attempting to pervert the course of justice.

The charges

The charges, relating to the alleged squaring away of fixed charge penalty points, cover various dates from October 9, 2016, to September 6, 2019, at various locations in the Midwest.

A number of well-known GAA players and officials, a politician, and ordinary civilians are named on the charges but are not charged with any offences.

The five accused are, retired Superintendent Eamon O’Neill, formerly Roxboro Road garda station; Sgt Michelle Leahy, Roxboro Road garda station; Sgt Anne-Marie Hassett; Kerry Garda Division, formerly Limerick; Garda Tom McGlinchey, Murroe Garda Station; and Garda Colm Geary, Clare Garda Division.

Mr O’Neill is accused of 30 alleged offences; Sgt Leahy is charged with two offences; Garda McGlinchey is charged with four offences; Garda Geary is charged with three offences; and Sgt Hassett is accused of three separate offences.

At a previous hearing before Limerick District Court, Mr O’Neill indicated through his solicitor Dan O’Gorman that he would be “vigorously contesting” all of the charges.

The investigation

The charges follow a prolonged investigation conducted by the Garda National Bureau of Criminal Investigation (GNBCI) into alleged squaring away of traffic offences, including failing to produce insurance, holding a mobile phone while driving, no seatbelt, driving without insurance, and in one instance, “how to offset penalty points in respect of a speeding detection”.

Last May, Detective Chief Superintendent Walter O’Sullivan, who was then the head of the GNBCI and is now retired, told Limerick District Court that he arrested and charged the five accused separately on April 29 this year at Mayorstone Garda Station. None of the five accused said anything in response to the charges, the court heard.

The matter has been adjourned to Limerick Circuit Court on January 10, 2022, when the court will fix a date to hear the DPP’s application to have the case transferred from Limerick to Dublin.