Four Dublin men were due to appear in a Co Laois court today in connection with a bank raid in which a Garda was accidentally shot dead by a colleague.
The four accused, all with addresses in Dublin, were to face charges of conspiring to rob the bank in Abbeyleix on December 7th, 2001, when they appeared at Portlaoise Circuit Court today.
However, one of the accused, a 25-year-old Tallaght man, failed to turn up today for the trial. A warrant has been issued for his arrest.
Det Sgt John Eiffe (40), a married man with four children from Ratoath, Co Meath was on duty with the National Surveillance Unit (NSU) at Abbeyleix when he was shot.
Garda Commissioner Mr Pat Byrne said after the incident it appeared Det Sgt Eiffe was shot dead by a fellow garda during the capture of the suspects.
Another officer and two of the suspects were also injured.