Courts / Dublin / Report

Judge rejects garda bid to ban media from court during covert evidence

Date
2021-11-11

Stage
Sentence

Court
Paul Neilan The Special Criminal Court

Primary locality
Dublin

County
Dublin

Summary

The Special Criminal Court has adjourned the trial of Douglas Glynn (37) until Tuesday for the production of additional photographs, following a disclosure issue. Glynn, of Dublin 1, pleaded not guilty to placing a tracker device on James "Mago" Gately's car in Belfast in April 2017. The prosecution alleges this was part of an ongoing plan by a criminal organisation to target Gately. Presiding Judge Mr Justice Tony Hunt, sitting with Ms Justice Sarah Berkeley and Mr Justice Cormac Dunne, refused a Garda application to ban media from court during covert evidence, ruling that media presence was acceptable provided National Surveillance Unit officers were not identified. The judge warned that the failure to disclose all relevant photos "cannot happen again." In related convictions, Imre Arakas (63) was jailed for six years in December 2018 after admitting to conspiring to murder Gately. Additionally, Peter Keating (40) was jailed for 11 years after pleading guilty to directing a criminal organisation's activities relating to the targeting of Gately between December 2016 and April 2017.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Judge rejects garda bid to ban media from court during covert evidence. Charges or matters: placing a tracker device on James "Mago" Gately's car in Belfast in April 2017. Procedural stage: sentence

When:

April 2017 Hearing Or Sentence
December 7, 2016 Other
April 6, 2017 Other
March 30, 2017 Hearing Or Sentence
March 30 Other
December 2018 Hearing Or Sentence
April 3 Hearing Or Sentence
2021-11-11 Publication

Why: Dominic McGinn SC, prosecuting, has told the court that it is the State's case that there was "an ongoing plan" to target Mr Gately because he was a "allegedly a member of a rival organisation" to those targeting him. CNI source report

Case subjects

Douglas Glynn

Defendant

Charges: placing a tracker device on James "Mago" Gately's car in Belfast in April 2017 (Alleged Or Contested)

Plea: Not guilty

Outcome: Mr Justice Hunt, sitting with Ms Justice Sarah Berkeley and Mr Justice Cormac Dunne adjourned the matter until Tuesday for the production of the photos, warning on disclosure issues that "this cannot happen again".

Imre Arakas

Convicted Person

Outcome: Imre Arakas (63) was jailed by the Special Criminal Court for six years in December 2018, after he admitted to conspiring with others to murder Gately in Northern Ireland between April 3 and 4, 2017. In September, Peter Keating (40) of Rowlagh Green, Clondalkin, Dublin 22 was jailed for 11 years after he pleaded guilty in late June to directing the activities of a criminal organisation between December 7, 2016, and April 6, 2017, within and outside the State relating to the targeting of Mr Gately.

Peter Keating

Convicted Person

Plea: Guilty

Outcome: Peter Keating (40) of Rowlagh Green, Clondalkin, Dublin 22 was jailed for 11 years after he pleaded guilty in late June to directing the activities of a criminal organisation between December 7, 2016, and April 6, 2017, within and outside the State relating to the targeting of Mr Gately.