Judge agrees to DPP getting Sheedy hearing transcript

A transcript of the hearings in the application by Philip Sheedy for an extension of time to lodge an appeal against his four…

A transcript of the hearings in the application by Philip Sheedy for an extension of time to lodge an appeal against his four-year sentence is to be provided for the Director of Public Prosecutions.

Judge Joseph Mathews acceded to an application by Mr George Birmingham, for the DPP, for the transcript at a special sitting of Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. He also directed that a copy be made available to the defence. Mr Patrick MacEntee SC, for Sheedy, told Judge Mathews that notice of appeal in the case had been lodged yesterday with the Court of Criminal Appeal.

This week Judge Mathews granted a defence application for an extension of time to appeal the October 1997 sentence. Normally an application for leave to appeal should be lodged within one month of sentencing.

Mr MacEntee opposed the DPP's application for a transcript on the grounds that the Court of Criminal Appeal was now seized of the case and there were rules on the preparation and transmission of transcripts and other documents required by that court for appeal hearings.

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Mr Birmingham said the DPP was not applying for the transcript for the purpose of any hearing by the Court of Criminal Appeal. The world and his wife knew this was a case which had generated considerable interest. Even if the application for an extension of time had been refused, which would have ended the matter, the DPP would have required a copy of the transcript, too, he said.

Judge Mathews ruled that notwithstanding the rules concerning the transmission of documents to the Court of Criminal Appeal as outlined by Mr MacEntee it was in his discretion to accede to the DPP's application.