The jury hearing the inquest into the deaths of two young people who died after their car crashed at high speed while a Garda patrol car was following them has been discharged by the coroner because two of the jurors are Customs and Excise officers.
Mairéad Boyle (19) and Shane Hoey (20), both from Crossmaglen, Co Armagh, died on May 2nd, 2005, at the Long Walk, Dundalk.
When the inquest was opened at Dundalk Coroner's Court last year, the jury heard their families did not believe the opinion of gardaí, based on the CCTV footage, that the patrol car was seven seconds behind the pair's BMW when it crashed.
Coroner Ronan Maguire had asked for the CCTV footage to be shown as "there has been a mass of public rumours about this car accident. The blog sites on the internet have been awash with rumours about it."
He had adjourned that earlier inquest to allow the families to get legal representation.
As it was about to resume yesterday morning, their solicitor, Paul Tiernan, asked for the jury to be discharged. He argued that he had just become aware that one of the jurors was an officer with Customs and Excise.
"Justice must be seen to be done and the families do not believe they may receive a proper and impartial verdict of a jury that consists of a Customs and Excise officer who works on a daily basis and in this geographical area and who would rely on An Garda Síochána for support while carrying out his duties," Mr Tiernan said.
Garda inspector Leo McGinn then said he believed that two of the jurors were employees of the Department of Finance in Customs and Excise.
However, they had sworn an oath to discharge their duties based on the evidence, he added.
Mr Maguire said it was a difficult situation and there "are rumours going around Dundalk in terms of how this tragic accident occurred. I feel justice must be seen to be done and without imputing anything against any member of the jury, a juror must be seen to have no association with the State."
He adjourned the inquest and will empanel a new jury at a later date.