Kerry candidate who claims election staff tore ballots out of boxes loses bid to set aside result

Michelle Keane claimed she was in the Toureencahill polling station at around 8.45pm on election night when she allegedly witnessed two election staff 'tearing out ballot papers from the ballot box'

Independent candidate Michelle Keane, of Talbot Bridge, Knocknagoshel, ran as an Independent candidate in Kerry in November when she received more than 1,500 first preference votes but lost out on the eighth count. File photo: Valerie O'Sullivan

An unsuccessful Kerry General Election candidate who went to the High Court claiming voting ballots were allegedly “torn out” of boxes at a polling station in Kerry on election night has failed in her court bid.

Michelle Keane had sought access to sealed documents after alleging she witnessed ballots being "torn out" of boxes in front of her on voting night.