Courts / Dublin / Report

Members of public to be excluded from non-jury court while gardai give evidence

Summary

The Special Criminal Court has ordered the exclusion of the public during evidence from six Garda National Surveillance Unit (NSU) members in the ongoing trial of eight Dublin men. Presiding Judge Paul Butler ruled that the officers must not be named and that specific details regarding NSU tradecraft and methodology are subject to publication bans, citing risks to their safety. The defendants—Kevin Braney, Des Christie, Eamon McNamee, Hubert Duffy, William Jackson, Declan Phelan, John Brock, and Darren Murphy—each pleaded not guilty to the alleged charge of membership of an illegal organisation styling itself the Irish Republican Army, otherwise Oglaigh na hEireann, otherwise the IRA, on March 29, 2013. Prosecution counsel Tara Burns SC stated that the men were arrested at a used car sales lot in Clondalkin on Good Friday, 2013, following surveillance. Items allegedly found during subsequent searches included cable ties, balaclavas, a Glock pistol, a baseball bat, and pepper spray. The prosecution case relies on NSU sightings, the seized items, the defendants' responses to garda questioning, and opinion evidence from Detective Chief Superintendent Peter Kirwan. The trial is continuing.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Members of public to be excluded from non-jury court while gardai give evidence. Charges or matters: membership of an illegal organisation styling itself the Irish Republican Army, otherwise Oglaigh na hEireann, otherwise the IRA on March 29th, 2013. Procedural stage: trial

When:

• March 29th, 2013 Incident
• 2015-01-28 Publication

Case subjects

Places mentioned

Topics

Stage Trial

Related court reports

• Man charged with having 56k child abuse images and videos remanded on bail
• Ex-Dáil hopeful's allegations against former employer 'complete fantasy', WRC told
• Mater must pay €10k to worker who said he was wrongly accused of abusing patient
• 'I think we know I won't be getting bail' - Daniel Kinahan charged with directing criminal organisation
• Letting agent who claimed alleged domestic violence victim abandoned tenancy by fleeing to refuge must pay €14.7k
• 77-year-old with 470 convictions told Luas staff to 'f**k off'

Read the original CNI report