Former Wicklow Council official remanded on corruption charge

A former senior official with Wicklow County and Town councils who is facing a charge of corruption, has been sent forward for trial to Wicklow Circuit Criminal Court.

Frank O’Toole (63), with an address in Wicklow town, appeared at Bray District Court today in relation to an allegation of issuing a letter “for the purpose of corruptly obtaining an advantage for another person or persons contrary to section 8 of the Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Act 2001”.

The date of the alleged offence was June 9th, 2006, a month before the end of Mr O’Toole’s 10 years in the position of town clerk of Wicklow Town Council. He moved to Wicklow County Council in 2006 and is now retired.

During this morning’s court appearance, State solicitor Rory Benville said the Director of Public Prosecutions had consented to the matter going to trail at Wicklow Circuit Criminal Court on December 9th.

Mr Benville said there was no objection to Mr O’Toole being remanded on continuing bail.

Sending Mr O’Toole forward for trial, Judge David Kennedy said he was making an order under Section 56 of the Criminal Justice Act to allow Mr O’Toole access to a record of his interview with An Garda Síochána.

Judge Kennedy also warned the defendant that if he intended to rely on an alibi, details of such an alibi must be supplied to the DPP, within a specified timeframe, in advance of the Circuit Criminal Court hearing.

Judge Kennedy also made an order amending the paperwork in the trial to describe Mr O’Toole as Francis O’Toole, as opposed to Frank O’Toole.

Mr O’Toole - who was dressed in a light green check sports jacked and light coloured trousers - did not say anything during the short appearance, other than to confirm his formal name for his counsel.