A 45-year-old man has been found guilty of attempting by corrupt means to influence a juror in a criminal trial at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court in June 2003.
James Walsh, Mountainview Drive, Rathfarnham, was, however, acquitted of attempting to pervert the course of justice by calling the brother of the said jury's foreman and asking him if his brother "could be swung".
The juror Walsh was found guilty of attempting to influence was serving as the jury foreman in the trial of Sean Fitzgerald (55), Dunmore Park, and Jason Black (30), Tyrnonville Drive, both Tallaght, who were found guilty of handling a stolen car and setting fire to parts of it on dates unknown between May 20th and May 26th, 1999.
They were jailed for five years each on July 29th, 2003. Walsh told the jury that he had only contacted the foreman of the jury to arrange a meeting with him in connection with an "Army reunion do". They had both served in the Army together. He admitted to making the phone call on June 4th, 2003, when the jury began deliberations.
Judge Donagh McDonagh remanded Walsh on bail for sentence today after his counsel applied for time for Walsh to make arrangements for the care of his two sons should he be jailed. Walsh has sole custody of the two teenagers.