Courts / Louth / Report

Non-jury court finds it doesn't have jurisdiction to hand over transcripts to GSOC investigation

Date
2017-07-05

Stage
Trial

Primary locality
Omeath

County
Louth

Summary

The Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (GSOC) applied to the High Court for transcripts of the Special Criminal Court's proceedings involving Adrian Crevan Mackin, who shot Garda Anthony Golden in 2015 and later committed suicide. GSOC's request, made by counsel Mr Ronan Kennedy, sought transcripts from the twelve occasions Mackin's case was mentioned, including his bail status. The Special Criminal Court, a non‑jury court, ruled that it lacked both inherent and express jurisdiction to grant the application, stating that the High Court had the authority to consider such requests. Justice Isobel Kennedy, with Judges Gerard Griffin and Gerard Haughton, advised that the application should be directed to a High Court judge. The DPP's counsel, Mr John Byrne, agreed that the Special Criminal Court did not have jurisdiction and that the matter should be brought before the High Court. The court thanked the parties for their remarks. The ruling was issued on 5 July 2017.