Bray Boxing Club murder accused in custody for five years, without new trial date

A man accused of murdering Bobby Messett and attempting to murder boxing coach Pete Taylor during a shooting at Bray Boxing Club in June 2018 has applied for bail at the Court of Appeal, citing nearly five years in custody without a trial date. Gerard Cervi, originally from Dublin, faces charges relating to the incident in which a gunman entered the premises on Bray Harbour, County Wicklow, and fired nine shots. His trial at the Central Criminal Court collapsed in September 2021 after ten weeks when jury numbers fell below the required threshold. Cervi's legal team argued that extended delay, combined with an anticipated Supreme Court ruling on phone evidence, justified reconsideration of bail conditions. The State opposed the application, citing evidence that Cervi had purchased a one-way ticket to Malaga at the time of his arrest and had made unexplained trips to Spain after the shooting. Mr Justice George Birmingham adjourned the matter to May 18 for further submissions regarding Cervi's work history, travel patterns, and living arrangements.