Two brothers who were due to stand trial for the attempted murder of an on-duty garda officer have been rearraigned on lesser charges of assault and attempting to cause serious harm.
A jury of five men and seven women had been sworn in earlier this week to hear the case at the Central Criminal Court after Gavin Quinn (27), of Tyrone Place, Inchicore, Dublin, pleaded not guilty to attempting to murder Garda Alan Murphy at St Vincent's Street West, Inchicore, Dublin 8, on March 30th, 2020.
Gavin Quinn also pleaded not guilty to assaulting Gda Murphy knowing he was peace officer so acting or being reckless as to whether he was, contrary to Section 185 of the Criminal Justice Act 2000, on the same date.
Gavin Quinn’s younger brother Lee Quinn (26), of Keeper Road, Drimnagh, Dublin, entered a special plea of not guilty to the attempted murder of Gda Murphy but guilty to assault causing him harm on the same date when the charge was read to him.
Lee Quinn also entered not guilty pleas to a charge of a Section 185 assault against Gda Muphy on the same date, and to the possession of an offensive weapon, a knife, intending to unlawfully injure, contrary to Section 9 (5) of the Firearms and Offensive Weapons Act 1990, on the same date.
However, before the trial was due to begin on Thursday, Anne-Marie Lawlor SC, for the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), informed trial judge Ms Justice Eileen Creedon that a new indictment was being served on the both of the accused.
When the new charges were read out, Gavin Quinn pleaded guilty to assaulting a peace officer in the execution of his duty, contrary to Section 19 (1) of the Criminal Justice (Public Order) Act 1994, on the same date as the previous charge.
Lee Quinn pleaded guilty to attempting to cause serious harm to Gda Murphy on the same date, contrary to common law.
Both pleas were accepted by the DPP and the accused men were remanded in custody by Ms Justice Creedon until May 23rd for sentencing, pending background reports.
