Courts / Donegal / Report
Bray Boxing Club murder accused in custody for five years, without new trial date
Summary
A man accused of murdering Bobby Messett and attempting to murder boxing coach Pete Taylor during a shooting at Bray Boxing Club in June 2018 has applied for bail at the Court of Appeal, citing nearly five years in custody without a trial date. Gerard Cervi, originally from Dublin, faces charges relating to the incident in which a gunman entered the premises on Bray Harbour, County Wicklow, and fired nine shots. His trial at the Central Criminal Court collapsed in September 2021 after ten weeks when jury numbers fell below the required threshold. Cervi's legal team argued that extended delay, combined with an anticipated Supreme Court ruling on phone evidence, justified reconsideration of bail conditions. The State opposed the application, citing evidence that Cervi had purchased a one-way ticket to Malaga at the time of his arrest and had made unexplained trips to Spain after the shooting. Mr Justice George Birmingham adjourned the matter to May 18 for further submissions regarding Cervi's work history, travel patterns, and living arrangements.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Bray Boxing Club murder accused in custody for five years, without new trial date. Procedural stage: appeal
When:
- June 5, 2018 Hearing Or Sentence
- September 2021 Hearing Or Sentence
- June 29, 2021 Hearing Or Sentence
- August 24, 2021 Hearing Or Sentence
- October 22, 2021 Hearing Or Sentence
- September 6, 2021 Hearing Or Sentence
- June 2020 Hearing Or Sentence
- September 6, 2018 Hearing Or Sentence
- September 2018 Incident
- June 26, 2021 Incident
- May 18 Adjournment
- 2023-05-05 Publication
Case subjects
Appellant
Outcome: Mr Justice Birmingham adjourned the matter to May 18 for more information regarding Mr Cervi's work history, the "mysterious" reasons for travelling to Spain and elsewhere and regarding his living arrangements in the period before his arrest.
Places mentioned
- Court of Appeal
- Central Criminal Court
- Supreme Court
- High Court
Topics
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