01-07-2025
Bilingual barrister comes to aid of 'nervous' translator on his first day
A bilingual barrister came to the rescue at the Special Criminal Court on Tuesday 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.
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As prosecution counsel Tessa White BL 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 BL, 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.
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"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.
Ms Justice O'Connor heard that two of the accused, Ali Ghasemi Mazidi (50), with an address in the Netherlands, and Raul Tabares Garcia (48), of Cadiz in Spain, will require trial dates. Ms White said the trial is likely to take four to six weeks.
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Ms Justice O'Connor adjourned the matter to July 21st, when she will set a trial date. Co-defendants Sean Curran (37), with an address at Carrickyheenan, Aughnacloy, Enniskillen, Co Fermanagh, Juan Antonio Gallardo Barroso (56), of no fixed address in Spain, Pedro Pablo Ojeda Ortega (36) of Cadiz and Angel Serran Padilla (40) of Malaga will have their cases mentioned again on July 7th.
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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 27th and March 14th, 2024, both dates inclusive.
The alleged offence is contrary to the Misuse of Drugs Act 1977.
Gardai 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.
