Limerick Car Dealer’s Corruption Trial Collapses Midway Through

The trial of Limerick car dealer Stephen O’Sullivan, accused of corruption for allegedly paying a detective garda for confidential information, has collapsed. O’Sullivan faced allegations of offering €20,000 to Detective Garda David Bourke in exchange for advance notice of a raid on his dealership, Stephen Bawn Motors, during an investigation by the Criminal Assets Bureau.

The proceedings took place at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, where O’Sullivan, aged 43 and a director of the dealership, pleaded not guilty to a single count of corruption related to an incident occurring on December 22, 2018, in Bruree, Co Limerick. Jury deliberations commenced on Friday but were interrupted on Monday when the defense sought to introduce a new witness, described as “previously unknown but potentially highly relevant.”

Following a legal application made outside the presence of the jury, Judge Sinéad Ní Chúlacháin determined that the jury should be discharged. The judge acknowledged that the defense’s new witness could provide significant evidence, which had not been previously disclosed. The prosecution admitted the relevance of this new testimony and expressed a desire for a retrial.

In her ruling, Judge Ní Chúlacháin stated, “The evidence proposed did appear to be an entirely new strand of evidence” linked to events that occurred prior to the current case. She emphasized the necessity for the defense to present this evidence to ensure justice is served. The judge also expressed concern that continuing jury deliberations without this new testimony would not be fair to any party involved.

On Monday morning, the judge informed jurors that an issue had arisen over the weekend that would require more time to investigate. She characterized some aspects of the matter as “very sensitive,” preventing her from disclosing further details. The judge expressed gratitude to the jurors for their service and acknowledged the vital public role they play.

The case has been scheduled for mention on February 20 to establish a new trial date.