The Roscommon eviction assault trial has heard evidence of a search warrant which was executed at the home of one of the defendants.
At around 5am on December 16th, 2018, a group of approximately 30 armed men, some wearing balaclavas, arrived at the rural property just outside Strokestown and attacked four of the security guards who were present. The house and farmlands had been repossessed five days previously.
Patrick Sweeney (44), of High Cairn, Ramelton, Co Donegal, Martin O'Toole (58), of Stripe, Irishtown, Claremorris, Co Mayo, Paul Beirne (56), of Croghan, Boyle, Co Roscommon, and David Lawlor (43), of Bailis Downs, Navan, Co Meath, have pleaded not guilty to 17 charges each at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Each man is separately charged with false imprisonment of and assault causing harm to four security personnel at Falsk on December 16th, 2018. Each defendant is also charged with aggravated burglary, as well as four charges of arson concerning a car and three vans allegedly set alight.
The four men are also each charged with criminal damage to a door of a house, violent disorder, robbery of a wristwatch from security guard John Graham and, finally, causing unnecessary suffering to an animal by causing or permitting an animal to be struck on the head.
On Friday, the 19th day of the trial, Garda Sergeant Maura McGarry told Anne Rowland SC, prosecuting, that she was detailed to attend a search on December 19th, 2018, and she went to the home of Mr Beirne in Co Roscommon.
She said her role within the search was to act as the exhibitions officer. She explained that any property seized was given to her, and she would then place each item in an evidence bag, seal the bags, sign and date each evidence bag.
Gda Sgt McGarry also created an evidence log where she recorded the exhibit number, details of the item type, the location from which the item was seized, who seized the item and when, and finally, to whom the item was handed.
When gardaí arrived at the home on the morning of the search, they were met at the front door by Mr and Mrs Beirne. They went into the sitting room where the search warrant was read to them.
Their daughter then joined them in the sitting room while the search was taking place. Gardaí were made aware that an elderly woman was in a bedroom upstairs resting.
Gda Sgt McGarry told the court that she went and checked on the elderly woman who was drinking tea in bed and listening to the radio.
The garda informed her of what was happening and that her room would need to be searched, but that they would do their best not to disturb her.
Gda Sgt McGarry then returned downstairs and began cataloguing evidence that other members of gardaí were seizing. During the search, several electronic items, including iphones, a tablet, an old Nokia phone and a camcorder, were seized.
The garda catalogued all these items and entered them into the evidence log.
The court heard that at approximately 9.30am, Gda Sgt McGarry arrested Mr Beirne. He was cautioned and made no comment before being taken Castlerea Garda station.
The trial will resume on Monday, April 17th, after the Easter break.
