A Peace Commissioner and former Labour party councillor has appeared before Dublin District Court charged with forgery and perverting the course of justice.
51-year-old Steven Wrenn with an address at Iveragh Road in Dublin faces four charges following an investigation into alleged garda corruption.
He is accused of creating and signing two false search warrants between August and September of 2021 for searches that had taken place earlier that year.
One of the warrants was allegedly made and signed between the 30 September and 29 December 2021 for a search that occurred at least three weeks earlier on the 7 of September at a basement flat in Mountjoy Square North in Dublin.
It is also alleged that Steven Wrenn also created and signed another warrant between the 28 August and the 20 December 2021 for another search at Kenilsforth Road in Dublin, that had also already taken place at least two months earlier, on 19 June 2021.
Detective Garda Simon Warnock from the Garda's Anti-Corruption Unit told the court that when Mr Wrenn was charged with the offences he made no reply.
The detective also told the judge that the Director of Public Prosecutions had directed trial on indictment which means the case would be sent to the higher courts which has wider sentencing powers.
However, he said the DPP has also agreed to the case being dealt with at District Court level if a signed plea of guilty is offered.
Defence solicitor Tim O’ Hanlon said the defence was seeking 17 items to be disclosed and Judge Fiona Brennan granted an order for disclosure.
There was no application for free legal aid.
Steven Wrenn did not speak during the brief hearing and was remanded on bail to appear again at the Dublin District Court on 7 May.
He is the third person along with a Garda sergeant and a Garda to be charged in connection with the investigation into the activities of a particular Dublin-based garda unit.
