Paul Williams causes trial to collapse, manipulates witness into false statement

Came across these articles yesterday,
Just as Paul Williams joins fellow hacks and liars at the Fianna Fail Ard Fheis, receiving a standing ovation.
It emerged yesterday that he caused the collapse of a criminal trial after a witness alleged Williams forced him to make a false statement to Gardai after Williams told him he had no other choice as he was to be shot.

I find it incredible that a bigger deal is not being made of this, that a media and state darling like Willams is allowed to make a mockery of the court and justice system, and not be properly exposed for such wreak less carry on.....


The trial of a publican and two other men accused of demanding another pub close within 24 hours has collapsed following several legal issues.

John Stokes (55), who owns the Players Lounge in Fairview, Daryl Mulcahy (21), of Matt Talbot Court, and Derek Nolan (30) from north Dublin, had pleaded not guilty to demanding with menaces that Shane Simpson close the Castle Inn public house in Summerhill "within 24 hours" on March 13, 2011.

Mr Stokes, who has an address in the UK, also pleaded not guilty to the assault of Mr Simpson at the Castle Inn on the same date.

Judge Carmel Stewart told the jury that because of "an accumulation of matters" arising from legal argument, she could not allow the trial to continue. She listed the matter for next month when a new trial date will be set.

Before the collapse of the trial yesterday, Mr Simpson said he had lied about the allegations to gardai because Irish Independent Special Correspondent Paul Williams told him he was going to be shot.

Mr Simpson claimed that the statement he gave to gardai alleging the threats against him and the pub was false and that what really happened was more benign.

"I felt I had to lie in the statement," he told the court. "I know it was wrong but that's the reason."

http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/courts/trial-of-publican-collapses-after-witness-says-he-lied-29225552.html


THE dad of Celtic star Anthony Stokes walked free from court yesterday after a judge dramatically called a halt to his assault and blackmail trial.
Controversial bar owner John Stokes was accused of punching a rival barman and trying to bully his family out of business during the opening exchanges of the hearing on Tuesday.

But following three days of legal argument, the 55-year-old and his two North Dublin co-defendants — Derek Nolan, 30, and Daryl Mulcahy, 21 — emerged from Dublin’s Circuit Criminal Court with grins for the waiting cameras.

Judge Carmel Stewart earlier told the jury she could not allow the trial to continue because of “an accumulation of matters”.

All three accused — along with a fourth man who has since died and cannot be named for legal reasons — had previously pleaded not guilty to demanding with menaces on March 13, 2011.

Stokes, who owns the Players Lounge boozer in Fairview, Dublin, also denied assaulting Shane Simpson at the Castle Inn in Summerhill on the same date.

Before the trial’s collapse, the jury heard Simpson row back on his statements to gardai.

In one, he alleged Stokes had threatened him with the words: “We’re giving you 24 hours to close the pub down, 24 hours and that’s the end of you.”

He had also claimed that Nolan and Mulcahy had chased him down a street — adding that he soiled himself with the fear of being killed.

But when confronted with his account in court, Simpson insisted he had lied about the chase and the 24-hour “threat” was simply a timeframe for his brother, pub owner Stephen, to contact the accused.

Explaining his change of evidence, Simpson told how he made the false allegations after crime journalist Paul Williams warned him that he was going to be shot.

He claimed Williams convinced him that, if he didn’t “go further” with the matter, his life would be in danger and he would have to leave the country for good.

Mr Simpson said: “I felt I had to lie in the statement. I know it was wrong but that’s the reason.”

He was the only witness to take the stand during the four-day trial.

Dismissing the jury yesterday, Judge Stewart thanked them for their time and re-listed the matter for May 9, when arrangements for a new trial will be made.

The date will most likely to be set for next year.

irishsun@the-sun.ie

http://www.thesun.ie/irishsol/homepage/news/4905221/Stokes-da-threat-trial-collapses.html?fb_action_ids=110475825821632&fb_action_types=og.likes&fb_source=aggregation&fb_aggregation_id=288381481237582