Charges against five men accused of conspiracy to commit a robbery in Co Meath in 1995 were struck out at the Special Criminal Court in Dublin yesterday. .
The Assistant State Solicitor, Mr Dara Daly, said that certain matters had arisen that required further investigation by the DPP. Mr Daly applied to the court to strike out the charges against the five men but said the DPP reserved his position on recharging them.
Mr Michael Mahony (48), of Drumcairn Avenue, Tallaght; Mr David Corless (40), of Hawthorn Drive, Ballinteer; Mr James O'Brien (45), of Park Drive, Ranelagh; Mr John Kelly (42), of Mulvey Park, Dundrum, all of Dublin; and Mr Thomas Coyle (47), of Rockville, Duleek Street, Drogheda, Co Louth, were charged earlier this month with conspiracy to commit a robbery at NEC Semi Conductors (Ireland) at Ballivor, Co Meath, in November 1995.
Mr O'Brien had also been charged with handling stolen property - two oil paintings by Sir John Lavery - at his home in Ranelagh, on January 24th, 1996. Mr Kelly had been charged with handling four stolen computers in Ranelagh on January 31st, 1996.
All five men were freed after the court struck out the charges against them.