Director of Public Prosecutions Catherine Pierse addressing the annual national conference of prosecutors in Dublin on Saturday. The Director of Public Prosecutions has called for more clarity in the law relating to obligations to obtain and disclose material, including counselling records, for trials of sexual assault offences. Director Catherine Pierse welcomed “a cultural shift” marked in two Supreme Court judgments about the responsibilities of the prosecution, defence and trial judges in relation to disclosure. In his appeal he argued the late disclosure of this “new evidence” had prejudiced his fair-trial rights and his conviction should be quashed. In dismissing his appeal, the Supreme Court said “some compelling basis” must be established for disclosure to be directed, involving showing the records were likely to be of real forensic value to the accused’s defence.

Source: The Irish Times November 16, 2025 02:32 UTC