DPP directs Circuit Court trial in de Valera headstone case

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

The Director of Public Prosecutions directed that John Moore be tried on indictment in the Circuit Court on a charge of causing criminal damage to Eamon de Valera’s headstone at Glasnevin Cemetery. The proceedings were reported on 1 June 2017.

Moore, of Cherrymount Crescent, Clontarf, was charged in connection with alleged damage on 25 January 2017. The DPP decided the criminal damage case was too serious to be heard at District Court level.

At Dublin District Court, Judge Anthony Halpin granted the State’s application to drop a charge of unlawful possession of a hammer connected with the alleged incident. Moore offered to plead guilty to the criminal damage charge and said he was willing to compensate for the damage.

Judge Halpin adjourned the case for six weeks to allow the book of evidence to be completed and remanded Moore on continuing bail. Moore said the bail ban on visiting the cemetery had been torture because he had a child buried there.

The proceedings at an earlier District Court hearing were reported on 30 March 2017. Moore told Judge Halpin that it was a moment of madness and that he regretted what he had done. He said he would pay compensation. The report said he had not yet formally indicated how he would plead.

The earlier report also described a charge of unlawful possession of knives. It listed bail conditions requiring Moore to stay away from the cemetery and the de Valera family, have no contact with the family or its properties or assets, sign on at Clontarf Garda station every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, and reside at his current address.

This report covers an earlier stage of the case. Later developments are not reported here.