Courts / Meath / Report

Public to be excluded from non-jury court during garda evidence

Date
2017-03-15

Stage
Charge Or Pretrial

Primary locality
Navan

County
Meath

Summary

The Special Criminal Court ordered that the public be excluded from the hearing of evidence given by members of the Garda National Surveillance Unit in the trial of Lithuanian man Eimantas Valteris, aged 33, who was arrested in 2013 as part of an operation to counter dissident republican activity in the border area. Valteris, the first Lithuanian charged before the Special Criminal Court, pleaded not guilty to unlawful possession of a .32‑inch semi‑automatic pistol (IZH 79‑8 model Baikal, serial TPB358706) found at his car sales depot in Balmoral Industrial Estate, Navan, Co. Meath. The court heard that Valteris operated the depot and that on 10 June 2013 he was observed moving a red Fiat Ducato van and a black VW Passat, the latter of which was stopped by Gardaí in Castlebellingham, Co. Louth, where the pistol was recovered in the boot. A later search of Valteris's yard yielded €2,000 in another car.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Public to be excluded from non-jury court during garda evidence. Charges or matters: the unlawful possession of a .32 inch auto (7.65mm) calibre IZH 79-8 model Baikal make semi-automatic pistol bearing serial number TPB358706 at Balmoral Industrial Estate, Navan, Co. Procedural stage: charge_or_pretrial

When:

June 10th, 2013 Incident
2017-03-15 Publication

Case subjects

Eimantas Valteris

Accused

Charges: the unlawful possession of a .32 inch auto (7.65mm) calibre IZH 79-8 model Baikal make semi-automatic pistol bearing serial number TPB358706 at Balmoral Industrial Estate, Navan, Co (Alleged Or Contested)

Plea: Not guilty