A SUPERINTENDENT who obtained warrants to carry out four successive searches of a 1,000-seater bingo hall said he acted following advice received from the office of the Attorney General.
The Rock Bingo Hall in Cork, was raided on four separate occasions by gardaí at the beginning of January.
James Barber of Omega Leisure Ltd, which operates as Rock Bingo, started a legal action against the State for damages at the High Court on Monday.
Rock Bingo, which is located in Togher, holds bingo nights by operating as an agent for clubs or charities with licences for bingo nights.
Giving evidence, Supt Charles Barry of Togher Garda station said the advice he was given on December 31st, 2011 was that Omega Leisure Ltd was trading without a lawful licence.
The superintendent said the licence for the evenings of January 1st and 4th had been granted to Longford Rugby Club.
In respect of that licence, the superintendent said he should have been given 28 days’ notice, but that he did not receive this notice. The superintendent said he believed that other licences for January 6th and 8th were confined to the Dublin Metropolitan District.
Counsel for Omega, Dermot Gleeson SC, said “that commercial bingo was lawful,” as determined by Mr Justice Frank Clarke on December 9th, 2011.
Mr Gleeson, said the superintendent had “frightened every Cork charity” away from Rock Bingo. He described the searches as “totally unprecedented” and “farcically disproportionate”.
Asked by Mr Gleeson if he wished to apologise to the Barbers for the grief he had caused them, the superintendent said he was carrying out his duties, but that he understood “the pain [Mr Barber] was going through”.
The hearing before Mr Justice Clarke continues today.