Redmond granted free legal aid
The former Dublin Assistant City and County Manager George Redmond has been granted free legal aid for a trial scheduled to start on December 1 at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Judge Desmond Hogan noted that gardaí were satisfied that a statement of means provided on behalf of Mr Redmond gave an accurate account of his means at this time, and said he was satisfied free legal aid should be allowed for this trial, which concerns an allegation of corruption relating to the purchase of land by Dublin County Council at Buzzardstown..
Mr Brendan Grehan SC, for Mr Redmond (aged 79), submitted that his client had funded two previous court cases and had also some years ago made a settlement equaling about €1m with the Revenue Commissioners.
Mr Grehan said the statement of means provided showed that Mr Redmond and his wife have substantial outgoings on the house in which they now live, and they both rely on his pension.
A further application, supported also by prosecuting counsel, Mr Patrick J McCarthy SC (with Mr Patrick McGrath BL), on what he described as "humanitarian grounds", to have the trial changed to a later date was adjourned by Judge Hogan.
Mr Grehan said Mr Redmond was due to go into hospital on December 3 for surgery and was a public patient. He said Mr Redmond had an ongoing health problem and had lost a stone in weight in recent months.
There would also be a preliminary application which might take five days and the "fade factor" arising out of all recent publicity had also to be taken into consideration.
Mr McCarthy told Judge Hogan that since a previous conviction against Mr Redmond had been quashed by the Court of Criminal Appeal, new information had come to light and needed further investigation. He said he didn’t wish to press for the scheduled matter to go ahead on December 1.
Mr McCarthy said the Director of Public Prosecutions wasn’t anxious to press ahead at this time.
Mr Grehan said the defence was only made aware of the new information in the last day or so.
An application by Mr McCarthy for permission to cancel his witnesses to avoid what he called "a hiccup" was refused by Judge Hogan, who said he was anxious if at all possible to have the trial proceed as scheduled.
