Garda facing over 200 charges including theft and corruption

A member of An Garda Síochána is to go on trial on more than 200 charges including corruption, theft and deception.

John O’Halloran was before Cork District Court on Thursday where he was charged with three new offences which are in addition to 212 others which he appeared in court over on January 3rd last.

The charges include counts of theft, deception, attempted deception and corruption relating to sums ranging from about €100 to €5,000 over a five year period between 2009 and 2014.

Insp Fergal Foley told the court he had served a book of evidence on Mr O’Halloran, who was a community Garda based at Barrack Street Garda station in Cork city.

Insp Adrian Gamble applied to have Mr O’Halloran returned to the current sittings of Cork Circuit Criminal Court and Judge Olann Kelleher remanded him on bail to appear there on February 22nd.

Mr O’Halloran - who was granted free legal aid - agreed to a number of bail conditions at his first court appearance in January when gardaí indicated that they had no objections to bail.

They sought to ensure that he reside at his home address on the South Douglas Road and hand his passport over to gardaí.

Assurances were sought from Mr O’Halloran that he would have no communication and would not interfere with any of the witnesses or injured parties in the case.

Mr O’Halloran’s solicitor, Dan Murphy, said his client was happy to comply with all conditions and he was released on bail on those terms.