Retired senior garda further charged with conspiracy

A retired garda superintendent accused of facilitating a criminal organisation has been further charged with conspiring with a detective to deceive people out of money.

Meanwhile, a former co-defendant, Detective Inspector Brian Roberts, aged 51, walked free from court today after the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) dropped the case against him.

The Garda National Bureau of Criminal Investigation has now brought 189 charges against four remaining defendants following a corruption probe.

Detective Inspector Roberts was initially charged in April with unlawfully disclosing confidential information on 10 October 2018.

He had replied: "I have done absolutely nothing wrong; the truth will come out."

The case, still at the pre-trial stage, resumed at Dublin District Court today when prosecution solicitor Mark Donnelly told Judge Karen Dowling that the single charge against Det Insp Roberts was being withdrawn.

Judge Dowling told that officer, "That is the end of the matter", and he left court.

However, Dublin-based John Murphy, aged 65, a retired superintendent, and Detective Garda Aidan Stratford, aged 50, each received an additional charge under section 71 of the Criminal Justice Act 2006.

The charge alleges they conspired to induce people by deception to part with money.

These offences are alleged to have happened from the start of 2018 until the end of the following year.

The judge noted they both "made no reply".

The pair were held at court because the new charge required the High Court to grant bail, as it had done before on existing charges.

Mr Murphy was not lodged in the cells and was told to "take the best seat in the house".

Judge Dowling asked if he would behave; he replied, "I certainly will, Judge."

Later in the High Court, Ms Justice Caroline Biggs noted there was no objection to bail on terms already set for their related charges.

They will appear again on 6 November at the District Court.

They and two other defendants are expected to be served with books of evidence and returned for trial at the Circuit Court.

The DPP has directed that the four men are to face trial on indictment.

In his original set of charges, it is alleged the ex-superintendent participated in or contributed to activities intended to facilitate serious offences by a criminal organisation, between 12 April 2016 and 29 September 2021, contrary to Section 72 of the Criminal Justice Act 2006.

Mr Murphy also has seven bribery charges under the Criminal Justice (Corruption Offences) Act 2018.

The ex-superintendent also faced four common law charges for communicating with a serving member of An Garda Síochána in a manner intended to pervert the course of public justice from April 2016 to January 2018.

His co-defendants had been granted bail earlier and were also listed today at the District Court.

Garda Eoghan Clerkin, aged 51, faces charges alleging that on 19 February 2018, he attempted to obtain a gift inducement corruptly, under the Prevention of Corruption Act.

According to another firearms charge, he unlawfully possessed 33 rifle rounds and 73 rounds of 9mm ammunition at an address in west Dublin.

Garda Clerkin is accused of facilitating a serious offence by a criminal organisation from 12 January 2018, to 13 June 2019.

He was unable to appear today, and a sick note was furnished to the court on his behalf.

Garda Manus Keane, aged 46, remains charged that on 13 November 2014, he, a serving member, disclosed confidential information which was likely to have a harmful effect.

In addition to the new charge, Det Gda Stratford is also accused of contributing to activities intended to facilitate serious offences by a criminal organisation from 2016 to 2021.

He faces another 170 charges, including disclosing confidential information or corruptly accepting a gift, inducement, or reward.