Five Dublin men charged with IRA membership had their trial adjourned until next year by the Special Criminal Court this afternoon after the court heard a key prosecution witness was recently in a serious car accident.
The five men, who were arrested in Bray last year, were due to go on trial at the court next Tuesday.
But today prosecuting counsel Mr George Birmingham SC said that one of the prosecution witnesses had recently been involved in a very serious car accident and had suffered head injuries.
Mr Birmingham said the witness, one of two gardaí who came upon the accused in a van in Bray, was one of the investigating gardai and his witness statement ran to 16 pages.
Mr Justice Finnegan, presiding, said that in the circumstances the court remanded the five men on continuing bail and fixed November 30th next year as the new trial date.
The five men before the court are Mr Thomas Gilson (23), of Bawnlea Avenue, Jobstown, Tallaght; Mr Patrick Brennan (39), of Lindisfarne Avenue, Clondalkin; Mr Sean O' Donnell(31), of Castle Drive, Sandymount; Mr Stephen Birney (29), of Conquerhill Road, Clontarf; and Mr John Troy (21), of Donard Avenue, Dublin.
They are charged with membership of an illegal organisation styling itself the Irish Republican Army, otherwise Oglaigh na hEireann, otherwise the IRA, on October 11th, 2002.