Courts / Meath / Report

Trial collapses after court hears of conversation accused taped with gardai

Date
2017-03-20

Stage
Trial

Primary locality
Navan

County
Meath

Summary

The Special Criminal Court's trial of 33‑year‑old Lithuanian Eimantas Valteris collapsed after a taped conversation between Valteris and two Gardaí was played. In the recording, the Gardaí, including Detective Sergeant Padraig Boyce, warned Valteris that if he did not accept responsibility for three firearms and four silencers, his wife would be arrested and their child would go into care. They also threatened to arrest his partner if he refused to cooperate. The Director of Public Prosecutions entered a nolle prosequi before the tape was fully played, and the court discharged Valteris. The case had originally involved Valteris's alleged unlawful possession of a .32‑inch semi‑automatic pistol, with evidence of the weapon being found in a VW Passat that had been stopped by Gardaí in Castlebellingham. The trial was the first at the Special Criminal Court involving a Lithuanian defendant. Eimantas Valteris pleaded not guilty.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Trial collapses after court hears of conversation accused taped with gardai. 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: trial

When:

June 10th, 2013 Incident
2017-03-20 Publication

Case subjects

Eimantas Valteris

Defendant

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