Cork bartenders to contest Covid-19 breach charges, court hears

Two bartenders at a Cork city pub are to contest charges that they breached Covid-19 restriction regulations while working in the bar last summer.

Daniel Kiely (39) and Laura Leahy (27) are both charged with the Covid-19 regulation breaches, arising from alleged incidents at the Harp Bar on Pouladuff Road, Cork, in July 2020.

Mr Kiely from Hazel Road, Togher, is charged with a breach of the Covid regulations on July 15th, 2020, and Ms Leahy from Plunkett Road, Ballyphehane, is charged with a breach on July 18th, 2020.

The charges against the pair were brought under a section of the Health Act 1947 as amended by the Health (Preservation and Protection and other Emergency Measures in the Public Interest) Act 2020.

Alleged breaches

Each charge states the defendant did at the Harp Bar, Pouladuff Road, Cork, contravene a penal provision of a regulation to prevent, limit, minimise or slow the spread of Covid-19.

No further details regarding the alleged breaches of the Health Care Act were given either when the cases were first mentioned last month or when they were back before Cork District Court on Monday.

However, defence solicitor Shane Collins Daly, who represents both Mr Kiely and Ms Leahy, said his clients would be pleading not guilty and he sought to have a date fixed for a trial.

Judge Olann Kelleher adjourned the matter until May 18th for trial at Cork District Court No 3 and he advised both Mr Kiely and Ms Leahy to appear again in court on that date for the case.