DPP apology - Explanations needed in certain cases

DIRECTOR of Public Prosecutions James Hamilton has broken unprecedented ground by apologising to the husband of a woman fatally injured in a crash in which the State failed to prosecute for alleged driving offences.

The landmark development in the Brannigan case assumes added significance as it is the first known instance where the DPP not only issued a personal apology but took pains to explain why no prosecution ensued.

The case was botched by a mix-up of dates which effectively ruled the matter out of time. The DPP made it clear last night that an apology should be made when mistakes occur and the prosecution becomes statute-barred.