A Dublin man has gone on trial at the non-jury Special Criminal Court accused of membership of the IRA.
Damien Metcalfe, with an address at Monastery Park, Clondalkin, Dublin 22, is charged with membership of an unlawful organisation, styling itself the Irish Republican Army, otherwise Oglaigh na hEireann, otherwise the IRA, on November 24th, 2015.
When asked by the court registrar how he pleaded, Mr Metcalfe refused to answer. Presiding judge Mr Justice Tony Hunt asked if the accused had been “struck mute by visitation of God” or if it was an “absence of instruction”.
After speaking with his defence team, ….read more