Limerick garda trial one of the most ‘extraordinary’ in recent history of the State, court hears

THE BARRISTER for retired superintendent Eamon O’Neill has described the Limerick garda trial as “a disgrace.”

Felix McEnroy SC in his closing statement for his client Eamon O’Neill, said that the jury had not been given a full picture of events and that this is one of the most “extraordinary” trials in the recent history of the State. 

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“It’s a disgraceful mess,” he told the jury of eight men and four women. 

Retired superintendent Eamon O’Neill, Garda Colm Geary, Garda Tom McGlinchey, Sergeant Michelle Leahy and Sergeant Anne-Marie Hassett are all on trial. 

Each of them have pleaded not guilty to a total of 39 charges, which all relate to attempting to pervert the course of justice over FCPN’s relating to road traffic offences.

These offences are alleged to have occurred between October 2016 and September 2019. They include squaring away penalties for offences including speeding, holding a mobile phone while driving, having no insurance and not wearing a seatbelt.  

Mr McEnroy referred to Mr O’Neill’s statement to investigating gardaí in which he said that he believed that this criminal investigation was “solely motivated by the Garda National Bureau of Criminal Investigation to justify the appalling, invasive, inappropriate arrest of me on May 16, 2019.”

Mr McEnroy stressed that Mr O’Neill has always been “upfront and clear from the very start about how he saw this.” 

He added that his client was forthcoming with codes and passwords for devices, which were seized in that raid in May 2019. 

There was never any prosecution as a result of this investigation. 

Mr McEnroy said that Mr O’Neill – who was spoken of in high regard by retired chief superintendent Gerry Mahon during the trial as playing a major role in fighting gangland crime in Limerick –  is “not that person now – he is destroyed.” 

The barrister added: “This case wasn’t designed to give the full facts.”

He said that it’s very rare for a case to run as long as this – it is now in its eighth week. 

Before he concluded his closing statement for the prosecution this Thursday morning, Carl Hanahoe SC, told the jury that what happened with these motorists was “an unlawful use of discretion.” 

He said that if Mr O’Neill had the power to cancel FCPNs, there would have been “no necessity to communicate with other members of the gardaí.” 

In all instances, the four accused gardaí were contacted by Mr O’Neill and then detecting gardaí were contacted in relation to not pursuing a prosecution on the matters. 

Mr Hanahoe put it to the jury that Sergeant Anne-Marie Hassett maintained that she was passing on appropriate information, however he questioned if pointing out that a motorist was “one of the players” was a necessary consideration for a road traffic offence to be quashed. 

Mr Hanahoe said that for most of the motorists “no reason was given whatsoever” in relation to the alleged offences. 

“The reason was friendship or connection with Mr O’Neill,” he said. 

“This was a favour – this was somebody sorting something out for a friend.” 

Barrister Vincent Heneghan SC in closing statements for Garda Colm Geary told the jury: “You are not getting a complete picture” and that there is a “big grey area there.” 

He told the jury that at the time of the alleged offences, Mr Geary got a text from Mr O’Neill asking him to do something and he did it. 

“He didn’t think behind it, he did what he was tasked to do,” he said. 

He added: “He was a garda and Mr O’Neill was a superintendent.”

Mr Heneghan said that the texts between himself and Mr O’Neill have now “changed the life of Colm Geary forever.” 

Mr Geary was successful in getting promoted to the rank of detective while under suspension. 

Mr Heneghan told the jury that this role requires “integrity, decency and bravery.” 

“This must show that within the organisation, they think very highly of him and respect him,” Mr Heneghan added. 

He maintained: “He did nothing wrong.” 

The remaining closing statements for the other three accused – Garda Tom McGlinchey, Sergeant Michelle Leahy and Sergeant Anne-Marie Hassett, will continue at Limerick Circuit Court on Friday morning.