Businessman pleads NOT guilty to false imprisonment and perversion of justice charges at Special Criminal Court

Businessman Jim Mansfield Jnr has pleaded not (NOT) guilty to charges of false imprisonment and perversion of justice at the Special Criminal Court this morning. 

Mr Mansfield (53), of Tasaggart House, Garters Lane, Saggart, Co Dublin, is charged with conspiring with one or more persons to falsely imprison Martin Byrne on a date unknown between January 1, 2015 and June 30, 2015, both dates inclusive. This is contrary to Section 71 of the Criminal Justice Act 2006.

The accused man is also charged with attempting to pervert the course of justice by directing Patrick Byrne to destroy recorded CCTV footage, with the alleged intention of perverting the course of public justice in relation to the false imprisonment of Martin Byrne at Finnstown House Hotel, Newcastle Road, Lucan, Co Dublin between June 9, 2015 and June 12, 2015.

Arraigned on the two charges before the non-jury Special Criminal Court this morning (FRIDAY), Mr Mansfield pleaded not (NOT) guilty to both counts on the indictment. 

Dressed in a navy coloured suit, white shirt and blue tie, Mr Mansfield attended the three-judge court today with three members of his family. 

Shane Costelloe SC on behalf of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) said there were substantive disclosure issues to be dealt with and asked the non-jury court to adjourn Mr Mansfield's trial until Tuesday. 

Presiding judge Mr Justice Alexander Owens, sitting with Judge Sinead Ni Chulachain and Judge James Faughnan, agreed to this request and remanded the accused man on continuing bail to appear before the court again on Tuesday morning. The trial is expected to last three weeks. 

The non-jury court vacated Mr Mansfield’s trial date last April over concerns related to the availability of certain witnesses during the Covid-19 crisis. The businessman's trial was pushed back a number of months until today due to complications with certain witnesses arising out of the pandemic. 

The accused was previously admitted to bail on an independent surety of €10,000 and subject to a number of conditions, including the requirement to sign on once a week at Lucan Garda Station between 9am and 9pm and not to leave the country.

In December 2019, Mr Mansfield was granted legal aid after the Special Criminal Court heard that he had a €6 million judgment against him.