Longford men accused of having Bad Boy Thunder Rockets and Snakebite fireworks at National Ploughing Championships
Three men were accused of possessing fireworks at Ratheniska
Forensic tests are required in the cases of three men accused of having fireworks at the National Ploughing Championships.
The men are accused of possessing assorted fireworks which included Bad Boy Thunder Rockets, Fireshot roman candles and Snakebite fireworks at the National Ploughing Championships in 2022.
Michael Ward, 34, of 30 Palace Crescent. Ardnacassa, Longford is accused of possessing fireworks at Gate 20A, Green Car Park, Ratheniska on September 21, 2022. He is also accused of possessing fireworks at the same location on September 22, 2022.
Martin Maughan, 34, of 1 Silloge Green, Swords Road, Swords, Dublin is also accused of having fireworks at Gate 20A, Green Car Park, Ratheniska, on September 21, 2022.
Davey Joyce, 28, of 35 Palace Crescent, Ardnacassa, Longford is accused of having fireworks at the National Ploughing Championships on September 22, 2022. He is further charged with having fireworks at the Gate 20A, Green Car Park, Ratheniska on September 21, 2022.
Garda Sergeant JJ Kirby explained that disclosure was outstanding due to backlogs in testing at the forensic laboratory.
“We are awaiting a forensic report to establish whether these instruments are fireworks,” he explained.
He said district court level requests to the forensic laboratory were taking around nine months to return.
Suzanne Dooner BL requested a strike out on behalf of her clients due to the delays with disclosure.
Judge Nicola Andrews said she wouldn’t strike out the matter but instead marked the case peremptory against the State in relation to the first and second defendant.
She adjourned the case of the third defendant but didn’t mark it peremptory as he wasn’t in court.
All three men are due before a sitting of Portlaoise District Court on March 25.