A MAN accused of sexual offences against a young girl conspired to have himself shot in the leg to avoid trial, the High Court was told. The court rejected a bail application by the man.
Det Insp Michael Canavan said the girl had to be given Garda protection for months before the trial at which Michael Joseph Kavanagh, St Anthony's Road, Rialto, Dublin, had been found guilty by a jury and sentenced in March 1994. Since then a retrial had been ordered by the Court of Criminal Appeal, to start on April 15th.
Insp Canavan said he had learned Kavanagh conspired to have himself shot in the leg the day before his trial was initially to go ahead in an attempt to avoid standing trial.
Mr Justice Carney said he took account "to a limited degree" of the hearsay evidence which had been given in court and, taking the evidence in its totality, he was satisfied that Kavanagh would not stand trial given any opportunity to do so.