Courts / Dublin / Report
Court rejects miscarriage of justice application by notorious armed robber Ward
Summary
Frank Ward, 60, known for armed robbery, had his miscarriage‑of‑justice application rejected by the Court of Appeal on 11 December 2014. Ward had pleaded guilty to five assault‑related charges and possession of a firearm during the 2003 Goat Grill robbery, for which he received two concurrent life sentences later reduced to 20 years on appeal in 2012. He argued that a garda PULSE identification number and a newspaper article had prejudiced the sentencing judge, but the Court found no new facts or evidence to support his claim. The Court, led by Justice Seán Ryan, held that the alleged prejudicial material was not accessed by the judge and that the newspaper could not have influenced the sentencing. Ward was returned to prison to serve the remainder of his 20‑year term.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Court rejects miscarriage of justice application by notorious armed robber Ward. Charges or matters: to five charges relating to assault causing serious harm and possession of a firearm at the Goat Grill, Goatstown on October 6th, 2003. Procedural stage: appeal
When:
- October 6th, 2003 Incident
- January 2012 Incident
- 2014-12-11 Publication
Case subjects
Appellant
Charges: to five charges relating to assault causing serious harm and possession of a firearm at the Goat Grill, Goatstown on October 6th, 2003 (Admitted)
Plea: Guilty
Outcome: Frank Ward, who was sentenced to 20 years imprisonment on appeal for the shooting of publican Charlie Chawke during a robbery, has had an application to declare his sentence a miscarriage of justice rejected by the Court of Appeal. In 1981 Ward was jailed for 12 years by the Special Criminal Court for his part in an armed robbery at the Bank of Ireland in Stillorgan, during which two gardai were shot and injured.
Places mentioned
- Court of Appeal
- Supreme Court
- Special Criminal Court
- Knockmore Avenue
- Tallaght
Topics
Stage Appeal Theft Violent Crime
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