Corey Mulhall acquitted of IRA membership at Special Criminal Court

This report is a localnews.ie summary based on public court reporting and records; sources are listed below.

Corey Mulhall was acquitted of membership of an unlawful organisation styling itself the Irish Republican Army, otherwise Óglaigh na hÉireann, otherwise the IRA, at the Special Criminal Court. He had pleaded not guilty. The proceedings were reported on 12 February 2014.

The court heard that Mulhall admitted taking photographs of a Garda complex in September 2012 after booking a hotel room under a false name. The court accepted that a Garda chief superintendent believed Mulhall was an IRA member, but said that belief required independent corroboration. It also found that Mulhall gave false interview answers, while recognising his admission that he had been offered money to photograph a Garda could provide a reasonable alternative explanation. Mr Justice Paul Butler said the accused was entitled to the benefit of reasonable doubt and acquitted him.