GARDA CHARGED WITH 5 OFFENCES
Ryan, 35, faces trial before a jury following directions from the DPP
A GARDA yesterday appeared in court charged with trespass, theft and false imprisonment of a woman.
Colum Ryan, 35, with an address in Meath, is the third serving garda member to appear in court arising from the same investigation by the Garda Anti-corruption Unit of a particular unit based in the Dublin region.
A Peace Commissioner has also appeared in court earlier this week charged with offences arising from the investigation.
Ryan appeared before Judge William Alymer at Dublin District Court charged with five offences.
He is accused of creating and printing a search warrant and information on September 30, 2021, for a search that occurred on September 7, 2021, at a basement flat on Dublin’s Mountjoy Square North with the intention of perverting the course of justice.
He is also accused of procuring the signature of a named man and that of Peace Commissioner Steven Wrenn on a date between September 30, 2021, and December 8, 2021, on information for a search at the basement flat on September 7, 2021.
He is further accused of entering a basement flat building at Mountjoy Square North in Dublin 1 as a trespasser and theft as well as falsely imprisoning a woman on September 7, 2021. ACU Detective Sergeant Kieran Kilcoyne told Judge Alymer the accused made “no reply” when charged at Irishtown Garda Station on March 11.
The accused was released on station bail to appear before the court yesterday.
Det Gda Kilcoyne said directions from the Director of Public Prosecutions have been received for trial on indictment on all charges.
This means the case will go to the Circuit Court for trial in front of a jury.
The accused stood silently throughout the brief hearing.
Judge Alymer was told there was consent to remand the accused on bail to appear before the court on May 4 when the book of evidence is expected to be served.
Earlier this week, arising out of the same investigation, Garda Sergeant Ciaran Whelan, 51, appeared at the same court charged with seven offences from June 19 until September 27, 2021.
Gda Sgt Whelan, 51, from Co Tipperary, is alleged to have falsely imprisoned a woman at Saint John’s Road West, Dublin 8, on September 7, 2021. He is also alleged to have made a false report between August 25, 2021 and September 15, 2021 to a superintendent with intent to pervert the course of justice regarding the search of a property at Kenilworth Road, Dublin 6, on June 19, 2021.