Gardai have been charged with causing the deaths of three people in a road accident almost two years ago, reports RTE.
John Francis Ryan, who was stationed at Dublin’s Tallaght Garda station, is charged with three counts of dangerous driving and one count of endangerment.
The case was adjourned to October.
Mr Ryan appeared at Dublin District Court after being summoned to court for four alleged offences.
He is charged with one count of dangerous driving under section 53 of the Road Traffic Act 1961 and one count of endangerment under section 13 of the Non-fatal Offenses Act 1997.
The allegations relate to an incident on July 7, 2021, when a BMW traveling in the wrong direction on the N7 highway collided with a truck and burst into flames.
Three members of the mobile phone thieves gang, Dean Maguire, 29, Carl Freeman, 26 and 31-year-old Graham Taylor, died at the scene.
The allegations follow the decision by the Director of Public Prosecutions to prosecute the Gardaí on the basis of an investigation by the Garda Síochána Commission of Ombudsman (GSOC), reports RTE.
In court today, Mr Ryan’s solicitor, Elizabeth Hughes, made a motion to release the CCTV evidence, and GSOC’s investigating officer, Sean Campbell, said he would comply with the request.
Judge Joanne Carroll asked if the GSOC had seen anyone from the DPP’s office handling the case.
Mr. Campbell replied that “there doesn’t appear to be anyone here”, reports RTE.
He also said he had visited the DPP office but did not believe anyone would be in court.
The court is yet to hear instructions from the DPP as to whether the case will be heard at the district court level or the higher circuit court where the potential penalty is more severe if convicted.
The judge ordered Garda’s address not to be released and adjourned the hearing until October for a trial or hearing.
The officers were taken to a restricted area and left the building through a side entrance, reports RTE.
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