The DPP is not proceeding with the prosecution of a woman for alleged theft from a shop owned by the wife of a Garda superintendent, the High Court heard yesterday.
Ms Margaret McGreal claims Supt Patrick Doyle had told her a failure to pay him €30,000 would lead to his "hanging her in court". She further claims she had paid the money but that a summons was still served on her.
Ms McGreal is not to be prosecuted for the alleged theft of €582.90 from the shop in Castlebar and, in proceedings against the DPP and Garda Commissioner, she is seeking repayment of €30,000 that, she alleges, she paid to Supt Doyle to prevent her prosecution.
Ms McGreal had denied the allegation of theft from the Bees Neez children's clothing shop at Castle Street, Castlebar, which is owned by Supt Doyle's wife.
Mr Justice Quirke was told yesterday that, since proceedings taken by Ms McGreal were before the court earlier in the year, the DPP had decided not to proceed with her prosecution for the alleged theft.
In February last, it was claimed in court that Supt Doyle, then stationed in Westport, Co Mayo, had sought the €30,000 during a conversation with Mr Daniel Coleman, solicitor for Ms McGreal, and the money was paid over. When the case was before the court previously, Ms McGreal, of Main Street, Balla, Castlebar, was given leave to seek an order by way of judicial review restraining her prosecution.
Despite the €30,000 being allegedly paid over and Ms Doyle signing a retraction of her complaint, Ms McGreal submitted at the earlier hearing that she had received summonses indicating that she was being prosecuted for the theft of €582.90. She denied the charge.
Counsel for the DPP told Mr Justice Quirke yesterday that the €30,000 was not in the possession of the DPP.
At the earlier hearing, Mr Michael McGreal said his wife was arrested on October 25th, 2002, on suspicion of having stolen goods and money from the shop where she was then working.
Mr Coleman, in an affidavit, said that when he went to the Garda station, he had a conversation in which Supt Doyle said the shop was the subject of ongoing rows between him and his wife, which were compounded by having to repeatedly bail the shop out of trouble.
He said the superintendent had said the figure arrived at by their accountant was €30,000, which amount was to be paid to Supt Doyle and his wife.