The trial of four gardaí and a retired superintendent, accused of over 40 counts of attempting to pervert the course of justice, will take approximately eight weeks, Limerick Circuit Court has been told.
The five accused are former garda superintendent Eamon O'Neill, sergeants Anne Marie Hassett and Michelle Leahy, and gardaí Tom McGlinchey and Colm Geary.
The charges follow a lengthy investigation by the National Bureau of Criminal Investigation alleging the named individuals attempted to pervert the course of justice on a number of occasions between January 2018 and September 2019, in relation to fixed charge penalty notices.
Limerick Circuit Court heard the trial of the five could begin in October, but that a number of pretrial matters must be considered in advance of any trial date being set.
Judge Tom O’Donnell had requested counsel in the case to consider issues of commonality in an effort to move the case forward.
He has already granted legal aid to the five accused to cover the cost of a documentary junior counsel to manage what has been described as a complex case.
He was told by counsel representing the accused that eight weeks would be required for the trial.
The court heard the issue of phone data will form a significant part of pretrial matters in addition to the execution of a search warrant on one of those charged.
Judge O’Donnell fixed the week beginning 31 July to hear pretrial matters, with a view to setting a trial for a date in October.
He asked if the issue of separate trials was something he had to consider as it raises its own complexities and was told this is an "unlikely scenario" at this stage.
The legal teams representing all five individuals are due back in court on Monday 31 July.
