Breaking | 

Garda sent forward for trial charged with burglary and falsely imprisoning a woman

Colum Ryan (35), who is also charged with falsely imprisoning a woman, had a book of evidence served on him at Dublin District Court today

Today at 16:01

A FOURTH garda arrested in an anti-corruption probe has been sent for trial charged with burglary and perverting the course of justice.

Colum Ryan (35), who is also charged with falsely imprisoning a woman, had a book of evidence served on him at Dublin District Court today.

Judge Michael Ramsay sent him forward to Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.

Three other members of the force charged in connection with the same investigation were sent for trial last week.

Gda Ryan, with an address in Co Meath, is charged with falsely imprisoning a woman at St John’s Road West in Dublin 8 on September 7, 2021, and burgling a basement flat at Mountjoy Square North on the same date.

The burglary charge alleges Gda Ryan entered the flat as a trespasser and committed a theft.He faces three counts of perverting the course of justice, between September 30, 2021 and December 8, 2021. He allegedly created and printed a warrant and information for the search of the basement flat that had already occurred on September 7, and procured two signatures.

Today, Judge Ramsay gave Gda Ryan the formal notice that he had 14 days to provide any alibi details to the prosecution.

The accused nodded that he understood this notice when asked.

The judge ordered the prosecution to furnish the defence with the accused’s garda interview video. He granted free legal aid, to cover both junior and senior counsel at trial.

This was following an application by defence solicitor Elizabeth Hughes, who said she was requesting it due to the nature and seriousness of the charges.Sgt Whelan is further charged with false imprisonment of a woman.

The three are due to appear in the circuit court on June 13. All incidents alleged to have happened in 2021, when the accused were stationed in Store Street in the north inner city.

Peace commissioner and former Labour Party councillor Steven Wrenn (50), of Iveragh Road, Whitehall, Dublin has pleaded not guilty to perverting the course of justice and forging search warrants for the flats.He has not yet been sent for trial and is due to be served with a book of evidence next month.

The prosecutions were brought following an investigation by the Garda Anti-Corruption Unit (ACU).