Gardai on trial for series of offences

TWO GARDAÍ went on trial yesterday charged with a series of offences including attempting to pervert the course of justice and impede the prosecution of a fellow member of An Garda Síochána on an assault charge.

Brendan Daly and Cathal O’Regan, who are both in their late 20s and stationed at Anglesea Garda station in Cork, are each charged with a total of eight offences arising out of an incident involving their colleague, now retired Garda Michael Kiernan.

Both men are charged with four counts of making false reports to Insp Pat Cadogan with intent to impede the prosecution of Garda Kiernan following an incident at Clarke’s Bridge/Hanover Street in Cork on February 23rd, 2007 in which a James Boyce was injured.

And both officers are also charged with four counts of making false reports to Insp Cadogan in an attempt to pervert the course of justice, again arising out of the same incident in which Mr Boyce suffered injuries when assaulted by Garda Kiernan.

The particulars of the offences are common to both the attempting to pervert the course of justice charges and the impeding a prosecution charges and include one where both men are accused of failing to report a complaint made by a John Casey relating to how Mr Boyce was injured.

Both men deny all charges and the jury will commence hearing the case today before Judge Con Murphy at Cork Circuit Criminal Court.