Man, 75, faces trial over smuggling of woman, 22, he dated online into Ireland
A 75-year old County Clare man accused of providing a fraudulent French ID card to a 22-year old woman he met online in order to assist her to gain illegal entry into Ireland last year has been returned for trial.
At Ennis District Court on Wednesday, Judge Alec Gabbett returned Roger Bishop of Little Thatch, Crown, Lissycasey, Co Clare for trial to the next sittings of Ennis Circuit Court in connection with two smuggling-related offences connected to the alleged illegal entry of the woman, who was living in Turkey at the time, into the State in March 2024.
In court, Garda Emmet Roche gave evidence of handing over the Book of Evidence to solicitor, Colum Doherty, for the accused.
Judge Alec Gabbett told Mr Doherty with the Book of Evidence now served, Mr Bishop did not have the option of entering a signed plea of guilt in the district court. Judge Gabbett said that Mr Bishop could enter a plea when arraigned before the circuit court.
Judge Gabbett told Mr Bishop that if an alibi formed any part of his defence that he had 14 days in which to do so.
Sergeant Frank O'Grady told the court that the DPP consents to the return for trial to the next sittings of Ennis Circuit Court, where more serious penalties apply, after Judge Gráinne Malone declined district court jurisdiction last month after hearing an outline of the alleged facts in court from Detective Garda Karen Barker from the Garda National Immigration Bureau (GNIB).
Declining jurisdiction last month, Judge Malone said: 'I appreciate that it is somewhat marginal but in all of the circumstances, particularly the age discrepancy between the two and the element of preparing a fraudulent ID card, I am refusing jurisdiction.'
Giving an outline of the facts, Detective Garda Barker stated that on March 1 2024, it will be alleged that Mr Bishop travelled to Turkey, where he met a female.
She said: 'He purchased tickets and a French ID card and assisted her in travelling to Dublin Airport, where he presented his passport and the French ID card with her details on it and gained entry.
Detective Garda Barker said: 'It was subsequently found that the French ID card was false in the name of the female. She is 22.' The nationality of the woman was not disclosed in court.
Asked by Judge Malone how did Mr Bishop come to meet the woman who is 53 years younger than him, Detective Barker said: 'They were in an online relationship.'
Asked by Judge Malone where is she now, Detective Garda Barker said: 'She subsequently claimed asylum. She attempted to leave the jurisdiction in May-June and Luxembourg returned her back to Dublin Airport on the false French ID card she had gained entry with previously.'
Asked by Judge Malone did Mr Bishop stand to make any financial gain, Detective Barker said: 'No judge - she was culpable. She wanted to come to Ireland and she got in a relationship. He basically thought he was in a relationship with her but when she arrived here, it didn't go to plan.'
Detective Garda Barker said that 'it wouldn't be one of the more serious cases we have dealt with'.
Detective Garda Barker said that the DPP had directed that the case be dealt with in the district court. Judge Malone said that the DPP has the benefit of all of the papers in this case but said that she was refusing jurisdiction.
Mr Bishop - who turns 76 in May - is charged with possessing a fraudulent French ID card at T1 at Dublin airport on March 1 2024 with the intention of assisting another person entry into the State in breach of Section 5 of the Immigration Act 2004 contrary to Section 8 of the Criminal Justice (Smuggling of Persons Act) 2021.
Mr Bishop is also charged on March 1 2024 at T1, Dublin Airport with intentionally assisting the entry of another person into the State which was a breach of Section 5 of the Immigration Act contrary to Section 6 of the Criminal Justice (Smuggling of Persons) Act 2021.
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