Three individuals are currently under investigation by law enforcement authorities in relation to potential instances of perjury during a high-profile court case. On a recent Wednesday, the Chief of Police informed High Court President, David Barniville, about the ongoing criminal probe as he requested transcripts of audio recordings from witness testimonies.
Perjury is a criminal act where someone knowingly presents false evidence while under oath during legal proceedings. If found guilty of such an offence, the individual could face a monetary penalty of up to €100,000 and/or a prison term of up to 10 years.
In order to protect the ongoing investigation and the identities of the suspects, Mr Justice Barniville issued an order prohibiting the media from revealing any information that could lead to the identification of the individuals under investigation. However, acknowledging the importance of judicial transparency, he allowed media entities to request variations of this order if necessary.
Mr Justice Barniville also granted law enforcement the right to access the recorded testimonies of the three individuals in question, believing that doing so serves the interests of justice. In the case of a fourth witness, however, he declined to release the transcript, as the Chief of Police had not demonstrated its necessity. Mr Justice Barnivile welcomed a future request from the Chief of Police should he come forward with evidence indicating the need for the fourth transcript.
The Police Chief’s legal counsel, James Geoghegan, had previously informed the court that it would be impossible to conclude the criminal investigation without the transcripts. There was no opposition to his request, as expressed by the Director of Public Prosecutions. Furthermore, other parties involved in the case were also notified of the application and indicated no opposition to it.