Bilingual barrister comes to aid of 'nervous' translator in Special Criminal Court

Irish Examiner

9 hours ago

A bilingual barrister came to the rescue at the Special Criminal Court today when a "nervous" interpreter on his first day struggled to translate for a group of Spanish men charged with drug offences.
The three-judge court was expecting to be updated on whether a group of six men would require trial dates for allegedly conspiring to import a large quantity of drugs into Ireland.
As prosecution counsel Tessa White began to speak, Ms Justice Karen O'Connor, presiding, became concerned that the Spanish interpreter was not translating what was being said.
The judge turned to Cathal McGreal, defending, saying: "You have good Spanish, are you satisfied that what is being translated is accurate?"
"No," Mr McGreal replied.
The court gave the parties time to tell their clients what was happening. When the court resumed, Mr McGreal explained that the interpreter has worked previously in hospitals but never in a court setting. "The interpreter is perfectly capable but he got very nervous and was worried if he could continue," Mr McGreal said.
He said the interpreter would be able to translate the rest of the day's business which required nothing more than setting dates for a next appearance.
Juan Antonio Gallardo Barroso, aged 56, of no fixed address in Spain, is one of 10 men charged following the massive seizure of drugs in 2024. Picture Larry Cummins
Ms Justice O'Connor heard that two of the accused, Ali Ghasemi Mazidi, aged 50, with an address in the Netherlands, and Raul Tabares Garcia, aged 48, of Cadiz in Spain, will require trial dates. Ms White said the trial is likely to take four to six weeks.
Ms Justice O'Connor adjourned the matter to July 21, when she will set a trial date. Co-defendants Sean Curran, aged 37, with an address at Carrickyheenan, Aughnacloy, Enniskillen, Co Fermanagh, Juan Antonio Gallardo Barroso, aged 56, of no fixed address in Spain, Pedro Pablo Ojeda Ortega, aged 36, of Cadiz, and Angel Serran Padilla, aged 40, of Malaga will have their cases mentioned again on July 7.
In total, 10 men from Ireland, Spain, Serbia, and the Netherlands are charged with conspiring with one another to do an act in the State that constitutes a serious offence, namely the importation of controlled drugs in excess of €13,000 on dates between February 27 and March 14, 2024, both dates inclusive.
The alleged offence is contrary to the Misuse of Drugs Act 1977.
Gardaí arrested the ten men in March last year during operations in the villages of Tragumna and Leap near Skibbereen in west Cork, where a jeep, camper van, articulated truck, and rigid inflatable boat were seized as part of the suspected drug smuggling operation.