A 51-year-old woman has been charged with attempting to blackmail a taxi driver in return for not making a complaint to gardai that he took advantage of her.
Detective Garda John Lavery told the Galway District Court yesterday that Bernadette Conneely with an address at 26 An Logan, Western Distributor Road, Galway, had been arrested on the morning of the court sitting and later charged at Galway Garda Station with the alleged offences of demanding €3,000 from the taxi driver, with the view of making a gain or causing loss to another, at Joyce’s Supermarket, Knocknacarra, on August 10, 2009, under section 17 of the Criminal Justice (Public Order ) Act, and with attempting to blackmail the same man of €2,000, in Galway on November 3, 2009, contrary to common law.
Det Garda Lavery then confirmed that no charges had been made against the taxi driver.
Inspector Sean Glynn informed Judge Mary Fahy that the Director of Public Prosecutions had consented to the matter being dealt with summarily in the District Court on a guilty plea only.
Judge Fahy accepted jurisdiction and remanded Conneely on her own bail of €900, one third to be lodged, to appear again at Galway District Court on October 27 next for election.
