Three Waterford gardaí, charged with assaulting a man in the city last year, have pleaded not guilty at Waterford Circuit Court.
A fourth garda has also pleaded not guilty to charges of acting with the intention of impeding the apprehension or prosecution of another and perverting the course of justice.
Garda Daniel Hickey, Sgt Alan Kissane and Sgt Martha McEnery, all with addresses at Waterford Garda Station, are each charged with assault causing harm on Anthony Holness of 7 Belvedere Drive, Paddy Browne's Road, Waterford, on New Street in the city on 29 January 2010.
Garda John Burke, also of Waterford Garda Station, is charged with acting with the intention of impeding the apprehension or prosecution of another and acting in a manner tending and intended to pervert the course of justice while working in the communications rooms of Waterford Garda Station on 29 January 2010.
Senior Counsel for the State Michael Delaney outlined to the jury panel that all four accused are serving members of An Garda Síochána serving in Waterford city.
He said the charges against Garda Burke relate to the way he operated public CCTV camera number 19 in the communications room of the garda station during the course of the incident, which occurred at around 3am on New Street that day.
The jury was told it would hear evidence from a number of witnesses, including Mr Holness, his cousin, a number of members of the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission and a number of gardaí up to the rank of Chief Superintendent who are based in Waterford.
The trial, before Judge Leonie Reynolds and a jury of five men and seven women, will begin hearing evidence on Thursday morning and is expected to last up to three weeks.
