AN ARMY OFFICER has gone on trial before a court martial over the alleged stealing of military equipment including ammunition at the Curragh Camp in Kildare three years ago.

The defendant, who cannot be named, pleaded not guilty to a total of 10 charges before a sitting of a summary court martial at the Military Justice Centre in McKee Barracks, Dublin today.

The Defence Forces’ officer is accused of four counts of being in possession of military equipment including 149 rounds of ammunition without lawful authority at the Curragh Camp on 27 April, 2021, contrary to Section 156 of the Defence Act 1954.

Extensive reporting restrictions on the case were directed by military judge, Colonel Michael Campion, on foot of an application by the Director of Military Prosecution “in the interest of State security and that of the Defence Forces.”

The army officer is also charged with being in possession of a box containing ammunition other than that issued by military authorities for service purposes and retaining it at a location within the Curragh Camp on the same date.

He is also accused of falsely stating to military police on 27 April, 2021 that he was unable to identify the box and its contents when requested.

In a separate charge, the officer is accused of falsely stating to a superior officer on 9 December, 2021 that he had the approval of a Department of Defence official to lawfully dispose of certain military equipment by giving it to a businessman who works as a defence consultant.

At the start of the proceedings, defence counsel, Feargal Kavanagh SC, applied for two charges to be withdrawn over claims that they were statute barred.

Counsel for the Director of Military Prosecutions, Barry Ward BL, conceded that a charge that the accused had instructed a subordinate via a WhatsApp message on 16 January, 2018 to put military equipment “to one side and make them look worth boarding” in order to improperly acquire them was out of time.

The judge reserved judgement on the application to dismiss the other charge which is effectively for the same alleged offence.

The trial before Col Campion is expected to hear from a number of Garda witnesses who investigated related matters.

The judge was previously informed that the summary court martial involving around 20 witnesses will last around two weeks.