The State is to oppose moves by Mr Brian Meehan, the Dublin man accused of murdering the journalist Veronica Guerin, to be tried separately for drugs and firearms offences, the Special Criminal Court was told yesterday. State counsel Mr Peter Charleton SC said the "whole web and weave of this case, every strand, is inextricably bound up with the motivation to commit the murder."
Mr Charleton said that the availability of firearms and the background in drug dealing were related to Ms Guerin's murder.
Mr Meehan (34), of no fixed abode and formerly of Clifton Court and Stanaway Road, Crumlin, Dublin, faces 18 charges including murder, possession of firearms and ammunition and possession of cannabis.
He was extradited from Holland last September. During the Dutch legal proceedings it was claimed that Mr Meehan was the driver of the motorbike whose pillion passenger shot Ms Guerin six times in her car on the Naas Road outside Dublin on June 26th, 1996.
Mr Meehan's counsel, Mr Anthony Sammon SC, told the court he was not in a position to proceed with the application, due today, to have separate trials for the murder charge and the other charges.
Mr Sammon said he received instructions in the case only last week and Mr John Mc Crudden QC, from Northern Ireland, who is also appearing for Mr Meehan, came to the case only this week.
Complications concerning Mr Meehan's entitlement to legal aid were not resolved until last month, Mr Sammon said. Mr Meehan's solicitor, Mr Michael E. Hanahoe, had done his best to obtain the services of counsel, he added. Mr Sammon said he would make the application on June 2nd next, when the trial is due to go ahead.
Mr Charleton said the State would be opposing the application to have the charges on the indictment dealt with separately. He said that even if separate trials are granted, he would be calling the same evidence.
Mr Justice Morris, presiding, said the court would hear the application for separate trials on the different charges on June 2nd. He indicated that the court expected the trial would start the same day. Mr Meehan was remanded in custody until June 2nd.