The Special Criminal Court has ruled that the identification by two former gardai of a Belfast man in Paris 18 years ago as the man who shot dead an unarmed garda in Dublin is inadmissible in evidence. The court ruled it could not be satisfied beyond a reasonable doubt that fair procedures were observed during an informal identification by the gardai at a Paris railway station in November, 1982.
But the court also ruled that the prosecution could tender evidence by the two former gardai identifying Mr Sean "Bap" Hughes in court as the gunman who had shot dead Garda Patrick Reynolds in Tallaght. The court was told that five gardai, including three who were at the scene of the shooting, travelled to Paris on two occasions nine months later and identified Mr Hughes as the killer of Garda Reynolds on their second visit. Former Sgt Patrick O'Brien and former Garda Thomas Quinn told the court they separately picked out Mr Hughes during an informal identification procedure outside the St Lazare railway station in 1982.
It was the 10th day of the trial of Mr Hughes (42), of Albert Terrace, Belfast, who denies the capital murder of Garda Reynolds (23) at Avonbeg Gardens, Tallaght, Co Dublin, on February 20th, 1982.
Mr Hughes also denies the robbery of £62,100 from a bank in Askeaton, Co Limerick, on February 18th, 1982.
The trial continues on Monday.