Stephen Reddington has been refused leave to appeal to the Supreme Court in a drugs case brought by the Director of Public Prosecutions, in a determination delivered on 19 May 2015.
Gardaí searched his home in Clondalkin, Dublin 22, on 21 November 2011 under a warrant issued by a District Court judge. A large quantity of drugs was found, and he was arrested, charged and sent forward for trial. The Circuit Court judge later dismissed the charges, finding she was not satisfied that the warrant had been issued in accordance with law.
On 5 December 2014, the Court of Appeal allowed the Director's appeal. It found there was ample evidence on which the District Court judge could issue the warrant, and it quashed the Circuit Court decision so the trial could proceed.
Mr Reddington asked the Supreme Court to hear a further appeal. The court said the point he wished to raise, about the test the Court of Appeal should apply, was peripheral and had been mentioned only in passing. It had not been argued orally in the Court of Appeal. The court also said that his argument would require a Court of Criminal Appeal decision to be overruled.
On the search warrant itself, the Supreme Court found that no issue arose that met the constitutional criteria for an appeal. It refused leave.