Mother-of-three charged with making false reports to gardaí

 – 7h ago

A mother-of-three has been charged with making false statements and reports to gardaí.

Sonya Egan (43) appeared before Cork District Court charged with a total of 14 counts of making false statements and false reports involving a total of nine different individuals.

Judge Treasa Kelly was told that Egan of The Lawn, Lios Cara, Killeens, Co Cork, will face trial by indictment on the instructions of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).

The court was told by Detective Sergeant James Buckley that Ms Egan made no reply when the charges were formally put to her after caution.

Ms Egan was charged at Angelsea Street garda station in Cork city in respect of the counts which relate to various dates between 2016 and 2020.

The allegations relate to formal statements made at a number of garda stations in Dublin and Cork – the latter including Mayfield, Angelsea Street, The Bridewell, Gurranabraher and Watercourse Road.

They involve nine allegations of making false statements and five allegations of making false reports.

All the counts relate to regulations under Section 12 (A) of the Criminal Law Act, 1976.

Judge Kelly was told by Sergeant Gearoid Davis that the DPP had directed that the matter be dealt with by indictment before a judge and jury at Cork Circuit Criminal Court.

Gardaí indicated to the court that there was no State objection to bail being granted for Ms Egan once a number of strict conditions were complied with.

These include that she have absolutely no contact, either direct or indirect, with any of the complainants.

There are a total of nine individuals involved – three women and six men.

Egan had also been directed not to use social media platforms either under her own name or the name of any other individual.

Further, she had been directed not to make any comment, either verbal or electronic, in respect of the complainants unless it is as part of direct and private communication with her legal team.

The court also directed that she not have any contact, direct or indirect, with any members of the Garda investigation team or Garda members who were on station duty on a number of dates supplied to the court.

Judge Kelly remanded Ms Egan on bail after warning that she had to comply with the strict conditions imposed.

The court was told that the book of evidence is expected to be ready for service on the defendant next month.

Ms Egan was remanded on bail to appear again before Cork District Court on September 14 next.

Judge Kelly also granted free legal aid and appointed defence solicitor Clodagh McCarthy of Frank Buttimer and Co.