A 19-year-old Limerick man whose murder trial collapsed last year was back in court yesterday on road traffic charges.
Mr Liam Keane, Singland Gardens, Ballysimon, Limerick, walked free from the Central Criminal Court in Dublin last November where he had been accused of the murder of 19-year-old Eric Leamy in August 2001.
Yesterday, Limerick District Court heard that Mr Keane was arrested in the early hours of the morning in the Old Cork Road area of the city allegedly driving a stolen motorcycle.
He was charged with abusive behaviour, under Section 6 of the Public Order Act and was also charged with two breaches of the Road Traffic Act - namely failing to give a breath sample and driving a stolen motorcycle.
He is further charged with having no driving licence and no insurance.
Garda John Divilly told the court that Mr Keane made no reply when charged at Henry Street Garda station. A second accused, Mr David Heighton (25), Crecora Avenue, Ballinacurra Weston, is charged with being drunk in a public place, and allowing himself to be carried on a stolen motorcycle.
Both men were granted bail and are due to appear before Limerick District Court on July 28th next.
Judge Tom O'Donnell ordered that both men sign on daily at Henry Street Garda station and also imposed a curfew between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m.
In November last year, Mr Keane was before the Central Criminal Court in Dublin facing a murder charge. His trial collapsed when three witnesses denied making statements to gardaí identifying Mr Keane as the killer of Eric Leamy who died following a row in the Lee Estate area of Limerick city.
At the time Mr Justice Paul Carney remarked that a number of people were suffering from "collective amnesia" in the case.
The DPP ordered that a nolle prosequi be entered with Mr Keane's presumption of innocence still intact.