IRA accused cleared as court finds it can't rely on Garda Asst. Commissioners's evidence

A 47-year-old man from County Louth has been acquitted of IRA membership at the Special Criminal Court following a finding that the court could not rely on belief evidence given by a Garda Assistant Commissioner. Michael Connolly had pleaded not guilty to membership of an unlawful organisation in relation to events occurring on 16 December 2014. The prosecution's case centred on observations of Mr Connolly driving in convoy with another individual, who was subsequently found in possession of improvised explosive devices. The three-judge panel, presiding over the retrial, determined that the Assistant Commissioner's belief evidence was not sufficiently independent from the evidence underpinning the prosecution case, breaching the rule against double counting. The court also found that Mr Connolly's silence during questioning and association evidence could not constitute independent supporting evidence. Mr Connolly's initial conviction in June 2017 had been overturned on appeal in June 2018, prompting the current retrial.