The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) has been granted another two weeks to complete a book of evidence for the trial of prominent republican Dessie O'Hare, who is accused of false imprisonment of three people in Dublin.
Mr O'Hare (61), with an address at Slaterock Road, Newtownhamilton, Co Armagh, was charged with threatening to kill or cause serious harm and with false imprisonment of a man at Rathcoole, Saggart, Co Dublin, on June 9th, 2015 and falsely imprisoning two others members of the same family, a male and a female, at a house at The Towers, Garter Lane, Saggart, south Co Dublin, on the same date.
He was also charged with engaging in violent disorder and assault causing harm to another named male at the same location.
A decision has yet to be made by the DPP as to whether Mr O’Hare will be sent forward for trial to the Circuit Court or to the non-jury Special Criminal Court.
On January 15th, a Dublin District Court judge had agreed to grant an adjournment after Garda Inspector Columbanus O'Malley had said he expected it to be ready in four weeks.
Two-week adjournment
The case resumed on Monday when Judge Bernadette Owens adjourned the case for two weeks after gardaí sought more time to complete the book of evidence.
Mr O’Hare’s solicitor Ciaran Mulholland pointed out that when the case was last before the court the prosecution had looked for four weeks, while the defence had consented to the five-week adjournment and there was still no book of evidence.
Mr O’Hare was remanded on continuing bail to appear again on March 5th next.
At his first hearing in January the bail was set in his own bond of €100, with a €20,000 independent surety.
Mr O’Hare has not yet indicated how he will plead.
His bail terms stated he must reside at his current address and the PSNI and the Garda must be notified of any change. He also had to surrender his passport, be contactable by phone, abide by a curfew and sign on daily at a Garda station in Co Monaghan.