A FORMER garda who was previously decorated for bravery has been charged with conspiring to pervert the course of justice, corruptly accepting a gift or bribe and unlawful possession of a sawn off shotgun.
Mr John O'Neill (32), of The Rise, Kingswood Heights, Tallaght, was remanded on independent bail of £10,000 at a special sitting of Dublin District Court at the Bridewell at 8 p.m. on Saturday.
He was arrested early last Friday and held for questioning in Naas Garda station. He was transferred to the Bridewell on Saturday. Mr O'Neill, who resigned from the force while in custody on Friday night, is due to appear in court on October 25th.
Wearing a green anorak, a shirt and tie, grey trousers and black shoes, Mr O'Neill stood throughout the 10 minute hearing.
With his hands clasped in front of him, he looked directly at Judge William Ham ill, glancing occasionally at the floor.
Det Sgt Benny Gilchrist told the court he arrested Mr O'Neill at 1.20 a.m. on October 18th at Belgard Road, Tallaght, under Section 30 of the Offences Against the State Act on suspicion of the unlawful possession of a firearm at 34 The Rise, Kingswood Heights, Tallaght. He was taken to Naas Garda station.
Chief Supt Pat Crummy, from Crumlin station, said he signed an extension order for Mr O'Neill's continued detention for 24 hours at 10.47 p.m. on October 18th.
"I directed the further detention because I was satisfied that it was necessary for the further investigation of the offence for which he was detained," he told the court.
The three charges brought against Mr O'Neill were that between November 1st, 1995, and October 17th, 1996, while an agent of the Garda Commissioner, he corruptly accepted £200 as a gift or a bribe; that on October 17th, 1996, at 34 The Rise, Kingswood Heights, Tallaght, he was in possession of a single barrelled Rustler sawn off shotgun in such circumstances as to give rise to a reasonable inference that he did not have it for a legal purpose; and that between June 1st, 1996, and October 17th, 1996, he conspired with persons not yet charged to pervert the course of justice by removing and destroying a warrant for the arrest of Michael Byrne which had been lawfully issued by the District Court.
When each charge was read out, Mr O'Neill replied that he had nothing to say".
Det Insp Thomas O'Loughlin said he had no objection to bail for the accused man. Judge Hamill remanded Mr O'Neil to appear in court at 10.30 a.m. on October 25th on one independent surety of £10,000 or two of £5,000 each.
When the case resumed about 10 minutes later, Mr Colm Atkinson, from Tallaght, who runs the Atkinson repairs and recovery company at St Maelruan's Park, was accepted as an independent bailsperson.
Replying to a question from Mr David Hegarty, representing Mr O'Neill, Mr Atkinson told Judge Hamill that his business recovered most of the stolen cars burned out in the Tallaght area on behalf of the Garda. He handed £5,000 in cash to the court clerk. He entered a bond for a further £3,000. Det Insp O'Loughlin said he was satisfied that Mr Atkinson was a proper bailsperson.
A second man lodged £2,000 in cash. At 9.10 p.m. Mr O'Neill left the court and was driven off with three other men in a silver BMW.
Mr O'Neill, who is married with three children, had been a member of the force for more than 10 years. He was awarded the Scott Medal for bravery in 1994 for confronting armed criminals, one of whom had a sawn off shotgun. He was commended for "exceptional courage" and risking his life in the course of his duty.