Missing witness holds up trial

The trial of a Dundalk man facing a kidnap charge was further adjourned by the Special Criminal Court yesterday after "the court…

The trial of a Dundalk man facing a kidnap charge was further adjourned by the Special Criminal Court yesterday after "the court heard that gardai had failed to find the kidnap victim, a key prosecution witness.

Mr Stephen Boyle (26), of Grange Close, Muirhevnamore, Dundalk, was remanded on continuing bail until June 11th. He pleaded not guilty on Tuesday to falsely imprisoning Mr Seamus Cudden (18) at Carrstown, Drogheda, on May 30th last year. The court issued a warrant for Mr Cudden's arrest on Tuesday alternating that he had gone missing from his home on Monday evening.

Yesterday Det Garda Joseph Carley, Drogheda, told the court that he had called to Mr Cudden's family home on Tuesday but he had not returned. He had called to the house again yesterday morning and Mr Cudden had still not been seen.

The court remanded Mr Boyle on continuing bail and issued a new warrant for Mr Cudden's arrest.