Legal aid granted to man charged with conspiracy to murder Dublin man

Gardai objected to legal aid being granted to Gary Gleeson (33) of Muskerry Road, Ballyfermot, Dublin 10, on the grounds he may have received a €46,000 insurance payout.

He and co-defendant Stephen Dunne (38), who has an address at Meile an Ri Drive, Lucan, Co. Dublin, are charged with conspiring to murder Dublin man Michael Frazer at a location within the State between July 28 and Aug. 7 last.

Both men also have two charges under the Firearms Act for possession of a Taurus pt92 semi-automatic Luger 9mm pistol and 10 rounds of 9mm short Sellior & Bellot ammunition with intent to endanger life at the Naas Road, in Crumlin on Aug. 7 last. The pair, who were arrested by officers from the Garda National and Organised Crime Bureau, could face possible further charges.

They were remanded in custody at their first hearing on Aug. 14 last. 

Mr Gleeson appeared again before Judge Kathryn Hutton at Cloverhill District Court on Friday for a decision on whether he was entitled to legal aid. 

That issued had been deferred after a judge was told earlier that a statement of Mr Gleeson’s assets included a €4,000 Rolex watch and an Audi car believed to be worth €14,000.

Det Garda Val Russell had said previously that checks were carried out in relation to Mr Gleeson’s financial situation. When the case resumed today, he said that a statement of the defendant’s means appeared to have an omission in relation to a  €46,000 insurance settlement Mr Gleeson allegedly received in July after he was the victim of a burglary three years ago.

A Criminal Assets Bureau investigation was on-going, he said.

He did not have anyone in court today to back this up, he said.

Defence counsel Aoife O’Halloran asked for legal aid to be granted.  She said her client, who remains in custody, was unable to dispose of assets or fund his defence.

She also submitted that the source of the Garda’s information was not before the court and the evidence was hearsay.

Judge Hutton said as gardai did not have documentary evidence she was granting legal aid.

The accused was further remanded in custody to appear again in four weeks.

Legal aid had been granted earlier to the co-defendant who is due back in court next week.

They were arrested on the evening of Aug. 7 when gardai intercepted a van at about 8pm during an operation targeting organised crime in Dublin. They were held in Garda custody for a week prior to their first court hearing on Aug. 14 last.

Due to the nature of the conspiracy to murder charges they cannot make a bail application in the district court and must apply to the High Court to get released pending trial.