Jury discharged in trial of Stephen O’Sullivan over alleged €20,000 payment to detective

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

A Dublin Circuit Criminal Court judge discharged the jury in Stephen O’Sullivan’s corruption trial after the defence sought to call a witness whose evidence was described as highly relevant. The prosecution agreed the witness was relevant and sought a retrial. The judge said the proposed evidence appeared to introduce a new strand and that the defence must have an opportunity to present it.

O’Sullivan had pleaded not guilty to a charge of giving or agreeing to give Detective Garda David Bourke €20,000 to reveal confidential information about a Criminal Assets Bureau investigation involving Stephen Bawn Motors. The case was listed for mention on 20 February to fix a trial date. During the trial, jurors heard a covert recording of a conversation involving the money; O’Sullivan told gardaí that senior officers had extorted him, an allegation he made against them.