An Aran Island skipper has been awarded costs against the State after he was acquitted by two juries last year of breaching EU fishing regulations 10 years ago.
John Conneely (38), Gort na gCapall, Inis Mór, sought to recoup substantial undisclosed costs against the State after it unsuccessfully prosecuted him twice last year in two trials at Galway Circuit Criminal Court, for alleged breaches of fishing regulations.
Mr Conneely had been tried in January 2015, and found not guilty of allegedly filling in his vessel’s log book incorrectly between January 19th and 26th, 2006. Following that acquittal, the State proceeded to prosecute Mr Conneely in May 2015, for two similar alleged breaches of EU fishing regulations and a jury again unanimously acquitted him.
Mr John Kiely SC, defending, applied for costs against the State after his client’s second acquittal in May 2015 and several adjournments were granted to allow for negotiations between defence and prosecution teams.
The State has now agreed to pay all of Mr Conneely’s costs in defending both trials.
The cost was not disclosed in court.