Dublin man Brian Grendon, who is charged with directing a criminal organisation, was ordered to foot the bill for his aborted bail application in the High Court on Wednesday.
Grendon (48), of Greenfort Drive, Clondalkin, was arrested by officers from the Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau last month after coming back into the country.
He was charged that between August 1st and September 17th, 2024, both dates inclusive, within the State, he directed “the activities of a criminal organisation in the importation and distribution of controlled drugs and the money laundering of the proceeds of the sale of those drugs”.
He has yet to indicate a plea. He was held overnight and appeared before Judge Máire Conneely at Dublin District Court on January 26th.
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Det Sgt Hugh McInerney gave evidence that the accused “made no reply” when charged.
Due to the nature of the alleged offence, he could not apply for bail in the District Court, as the charge specifically requires a High Court decision.
His application came before Justice David Keane presiding in Cloverhill Court, Dublin. However, it was met with objections from the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), as indicated in advance of the hearing.
A Garda chief superintendent and several other officers were ready to give supporting evidence for the State.
The judge invoked provisions in the Bail Act to impose reporting restrictions and ordered that evidence adduced could not be published or broadcast.
Defence counsel Keith Spencer, instructed by solicitor Wayne Kenny, pleaded for an adjournment, citing the late disclosure of a notice of objections, often referred to as a bail pack, by prosecutors.
The court heard that Grendon’s legal team did not have time to consult with the accused on the material provided.
The judge stressed that the case had been especially fixed to go ahead that morning and would not accede to an adjournment. He also raised concerns about applications clogging up the court’s busy list.
Gillian Finane, for the DPP, opposed the request to defer the application.
The judge offered Grendon’s barrister the chance to put the case back to 2pm and run the bail hearing then. However, the defence then withdrew the application, at which Finane applied for the DPP’s costs.
The judge noted the DPP had marshalled their witnesses to be in court to give evidence in support of the bail objection and said he did not see any reason not to apply the principle that costs follow the event.
He said the applicant was entitled to withdraw his application, but ordered him to pay the prosecution’s costs, which were not revealed in open court.
