The Court of Criminal Appeal has quashed the convictions of two men jailed by Galway Circuit Court following a robbery at a jewellers' shop in early 1999. A new trial was ordered in the case of one man.
In December 1999 James Cahill was sentenced to 10 years for robbery and five years for having a shotgun with intent to commit a robbery. Gearoid Costello was given 10 years for robbery and five years for having a shotgun and handgun with intent to commit a robbery.
In a reserved judgment, the Court of Criminal Appeal quashed the convictions of both men and, in Mr Costello's case, ordered a new trial.
The Chief Justice, Mr Justice Keane, said that on January 19th, 1999, two men wearing balaclavas and carrying guns robbed Hartmanns in Galway city of jewellery valued at £300,000.
The Chief Justice said the court would quash the conviction of Mr Cahill on the grounds that the purported identification of him by three witnesses was of such negligible value that a jury verdict which depended solely on such evidence could not be regarded as safe.