Courts / Meath / Report

Arrest of IRA accused lawful, non-jury court rules

Summary

In a Special Criminal Court hearing, judges ruled that the arrest of Darren Weldon, 45, of Drinadaly, Trim, on 14 October 2014 for alleged IRA membership was lawful. Weldon pleaded not guilty to membership of the Irish Republican Army, otherwise Óglaigh na hÉireann. The prosecution linked him to a car bomb by DNA evidence from a number plate found in the bomb's debris. The court rejected the defence's claim that a prior 2012 arrest made the 2014 arrest unlawful, citing different circumstances. The case continues with a voir dire on DNA evidence.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Arrest of IRA accused lawful, non-jury court rules. Charges or matters: membership of an unlawful organisation styling itself the Irish Republican Army, otherwise Óglaigh na hÉireann, otherwise the IRA on October 14th, 2014. Procedural stage: trial

When:

• October 14th, 2014 Incident
• February 22nd, 2010 Incident
• October 2014 Incident
• 2016-11-24 Publication

Why: Hugh Hartnett SC, for Mr Weldon, had argued that his client's arrest was unlawful because he had been arrested before, in 2012, for the same offence. CNI source report

Case subjects

Places mentioned

Topics

Stage Trial

Related court reports

• Museum employee charged with possessing bomb tells court he wants to reapply for bail 'at earliest chance'
• Explosive device allegedly stored in National Museum at Collins' Barracks
• Man jailed over dangerous driving incident as passenger begged him to stop
• Serial burglar with 176 convictions jailed for four years
• Double murder accused feared she would become victim of human trafficking, pastor tells trial
• Drunk driving conviction overturned as judge finds validity of arrest in question

Read the original CNI report