Courts / Dublin / Report

Identification evidence admissible, non-jury court rules

Summary

In a Special Criminal Court hearing, the court ruled that the identification of two defendants accused of IRA offences was not 'dock identification'. Detective Sergeant Padraig Boyce, of the Special Detective Unit, had identified several individuals, including the accused, in more than a dozen photographs for Tara Burns SC. The defendants – Kevin Hannaway (69) and Eva Shannon (60) – pleaded not guilty to assisting an unlawful organisation, the IRA, during interviews at Riverwood Park, Castleknock, on 7 and 8 August 2015. Other co‑accused – David Nooney (53), Seán Hannaway (48) and Edward O'Brien (42) – also pleaded not guilty to membership of the IRA on 8 August 2015. The prosecution argued that Gardaí used surveillance devices to listen to conversations in the house, which were related to failed IRA operations. Det. Sgt. Boyce testified that the photographs showed the defendants and that he had spoken to Ms. Shannon on the day, confirming her name.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Identification evidence admissible, non-jury court rules. Charges or matters: knowingly rendering assistance to an unlawful organization styling itself the Irish Republican Army. Procedural stage: trial

When:

• August 7th Incident
• August 8th, 2015 Other
• 2018-06-07 Publication

Case subjects

Places mentioned

Topics

Stage Trial

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Read the original CNI report