James Walsh can sue State over malicious prosecution claim

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

James Walsh was allowed to pursue his malicious prosecution claim against the State and Garda Commissioner in the High Court. The proceedings were reported on 17 April 2015. He had been acquitted by a jury in 2007 of charges of threatening to kill and cause serious harm to journalist Paul Williams.

Mr Justice Paul Gilligan refused the defendants’ application to strike out the proceedings for delay, ruling that no prejudice had been shown that would put a fair trial in peril. The action was to proceed to a hearing before a judge and jury, with the claims denied by the defendants.