Longford District Court Judge says cash application is ‘hanging around for a long time’

An application for the return of €7,000 in cash seized by Gardaí during a search of a premises on Richmond Street, Longford has been delayed because of a backlog in Forensic Science Ireland.

A certificate from FSI, which is staffed by scientists and analysts who examine samples submitted from crime scenes, are used by the DPP in deciding to proceed with criminal trials, but in this case it's to confirm that property seized at the Richmond Street premises are illegal drugs.

The application was put forward by solicitor Brid Mimnagh on behalf of Joe Doyle, Darren Doyle and Joe Mears, all with addresses at Richmond Court, Longford, on the grounds that Gardaí did not have a warrant to search the property.

The court has previously heard that a search carried out by Gardaí in numbers 1 to 5, Richmond Court, Longford, on foot of a bench warrant and it was accepted by Inspector Dave Jordan that Gardaí did not have a warrant to search number 7, where the alleged drugs were found.

While inside the house investigating officers found a ziplock bag on the floor. The search of the house resulted in the seizure of further ziplock bags containing “green herb” and suspected cocaine. Other drug paraphernalia was also seized from the house, along with a total of €7,000 in cash.

The matter of the suspected drugs is still under investigation due to a large number of delays in forensic analysis, the court heard.

Judge Bernadette Owens observed that the matter “was hanging around for a long time”. Ms Mimnagh told the judge that one of the notice parties, Joe Doyle, had passed away since the matter was listed. Inspector Jordan asked for an eight week adjournment to allow FSI time to analyse the suspected drugs. Ms Mimnagh said that such a length of time was “unreasonable”.

Judge Owens adjourned the matter to April 18 next and marked the matter peremptory against the State, meaning if the FSI cert is not in court the seized cash will revert to the appellants.