The Court of Criminal Appeal will deliver its judgment today on the appeal by Dubliner Paul Ward against his conviction for the murder of journalist Veronica Guerin.
The appeal was heard over four days earlier this month by the three-judge court, consisting of Mr Justice Murphy, Mr Justice O Caoimh and Mr Justice McKechnie. The court reserved judgment on March 8th. In November 1998, Ward (37), was jailed for life by the non-jury Special Criminal Court for the murder of Ms Guerin (36), a Sunday Independent reporter, at Naas Road, Clondalkin, on June 26th, 1996.
She was shot dead by a pillion passenger on a motorcycle which drew up alongside her at traffic lights. The focus of the appeal was an attack on the credibility of a State protected witness Charles Bowden whose evidence was crucial in securing Ward's conviction. Mr Peter Charleton SC, for the DPP, argued the court was well aware of the defects in Bowden's credibility and had specified these.
There was no rule that the uncorroborated evidence of an accomplice had to be rejected. The requirement was for a warning to be given. The court had warned itself of the danger of conviction on uncorroborated evidence and, where the court was satisfied there was no danger, it could convict.
Mr Barry White SC, for Ward, said the court had erred in not treating Bowden as a "supergrass".
