Superintendent appointed to investigate collapse of trial

THE Garda Commissioner has appointed a chief superintendent based in Waterford to investigate the reasons for the collapse of…

THE Garda Commissioner has appointed a chief superintendent based in Waterford to investigate the reasons for the collapse of the Flannery murder trial on Thursday.

Mr Frederick Flannery walked free from court after the judge accused Cork gardai involved in the case of "appalling misbehaviour".

The Commissioner, Mr Patrick Culligan, met the Minister for Justice yesterday to discuss the case. Later Garda headquarters announced an internal Garda inquiry will be carried out by Chief Supt John O'Halloran, who is based in Waterford.

Mr Justice Barr directed there should be a permanent stay on the prosecution of Mr Flannery, who was accused of the murder of Mr Denis Patrick O'Driscoll in 1994.

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The judge said the trial was "so tainted by the appalling misbehaviour of Supt Patrick J. Brennan and his investigating team that it cannot be satisfactorily retrieved"

He said there had been a delay in the disclosure of documents and he believed there was "a conscious and deliberate policy, probably orchestrated by Supt Brennan and at least one of his investigating officers, to subvert the course of justice in the trial".