Man charged with murder of ex-rugby captain given bail

A 32-year-old man who is charged with murdering a former captain of a Dublin rugby club last year has been granted bail at the Central Criminal Court.

Last month Gary Walsh with an address at Ravensdale Park, Kimmage, Dublin 15 pleaded not guilty to the murder of Cathal Sweeney (62) at a house in Terenure on February 8th 2014.

Mr Walsh pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of Mr Sweeney at the Central Criminal Court but this plea was not accepted by the State.

Last month a jury failed to reach a verdict in the trial after a period of five hours and 27 minutes deliberating with the foreman of the jury telling Mr Justice Patrick J. McCarthy that at least 10 of them had not agreed on a verdict.

On Monday prosecution counsel Mr Patrick McCarthy SC called Detective Sergeant Joe Molloy of Terenure Garda Station to take the stand.

Mr McCarthy then read out the eight conditions which gardai would require if bail for Gary Walsh was granted.

Det Sgt Molloy told the court he had “no concern” in relation to three sureties which included €9,000 from Mr Walsh’s sister, €3,000 from his mother and €3,000 from a cousin.

The terms of bail included that the accused resides at a given address, signs on daily at Terenure Garda station, provides his mobile phone number to gardai, obeys a daily curfew from between midnight and 7am, does not consume alcohol, surrenders his passport and does not communicate directly or indirectly with any witnesses.

The State previously objected to bail.

Mr Justice Patrick J. McCarthy then admitted the accused on bail on the grounds of the terms elaborated on by prosecution counsel and that the cash lodgements were provided.

The judge said were the accused to breach the terms of bail, he should be brought before him.

The retrial for Gary Walsh will not start until April 24th in 2017.