Father of Celtic star Anthony Stokes denied legal aid after Trail.
The state will not have to pay the legal costs of a publican who was accused of threatening another pub owner to close their premises within 24 hours.
All charges were dropped against John Stokes (57) who owned the Players Lounge in Fairview, after his trial collapsed following legal argument. His defence team were seeking to have the state pay the costs of the four day trial.
Earlier today, Judge Carmel Stewart said that she was making no order for costs against the prosecution.
She noted that past legal rulings state that a person may be entitled to their costs if they are acquitted by a jury or by direction of a trial judge.
However she said there is no authority which states that an accused is entitled to costs when the charges against them have been withdrawn, as happened in Mr Stokes’ case. She said that as a result, she has no jurisdiction to make an order for costs against the State.
Mr Stokes’ solicitor Michael Staines indicated he would be appealing the decision.
Mr Stokes (55), who has an address in England, Daryl Mulcahy (23) of Matt Talbot Court and Derek Nolan (32) from north Dublin had pleaded not guilty to demanding with menaces that a businessman close the Castle Inn Public House in Summerhill “within 24 hours” on March 13, 2011.
Mr Stokes had also pleaded not guilty to the assault of Shane Simpson at the Castle Inn on the same date.
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