False statement gets man 3 month suspended sentence

A Thomondgate man has been given a three month suspended sentence after he was convicted of lying to Gardai in relation to an incident involving Limerick minister Willie O Dea last year.

35 year old Mr. Larkin of Altimira Court, Thomondgate told Gardai in a statement that he was punched "three or four times" by Willie O' Dea in an altercation at the Bank Bar on the 27th of September 2007.

O’ Dea was one of a number of witnesses in court for yesterdays hearing and denied ever attacking Mr Larkin that night. CCTV images from the bar were also shown in court.

Having reviewed the evidence and the DVD overnight, Judge Tom O'Donnell said he paid particular attention to the body language of the accused and the Minister. He said he does not accept that Mr O'Dea grabbed Larkin by the throat in a vicious manner or that he was thumped in the stomach as alleged in the statement.

He said it was quite clear Larkin had a vexed agenda and wanted to let the Minster know, in no uncertain terms, how he felt about a number of matters, including Shannon Airport, the Corrib gas field, the Mahon Tribunal and Bertie Ahern.
Via RTE News

Judge O'Donnell also said it was one of the most bizarre cases he had ever presided over and released Mr. Larkin on bail pending an appeal.

Following the ruling Larkin told news a tv3 reporter that he was going to appeal the decision and go all the way to the European court if necessary.