Judge to rule on "discharge jury" application in Darren Gleeson case

A circuit court judge is to rule on Friday on an application to discharge the jury in the trial of Tipperary hurling goalkeeper Darren Gleeson who denies charges of stealing €32,000 from a financial services client.

Mr Gleeson (35) of Shesharoe, Portroe, Co Tipperary, has pleaded not guilty to two counts of stealing a total of €32,000 from a Timothy Heenan in 2013, and two alternate accounts of obtaining the same monies by deception.

His trial got underway on Thursday at Nenagh Circuit Court.

Darren Gleeson was Tipperary’s goalkeeper when they won the All-Ireland senior hurling final against Kilkenny last September, and was a substitute when his county won the title back in 2010.

At the end of the evidence, defence counsel Johnny Walsh raised a legal issue which was discussed in the absence of the jury.

Judge Thomas Teehan will give his ruling on Friday morning to the jury on Mr Walsh’s application to discharge the jury in the case.