A garda accused of stealing over €3,000 via overtime allowances, has been found not guilty by direction of a Circuit Court judge.

Ciaran Folan (44), from Ramstown, Fethard-on-sea in Co Wexford, was accused of claiming overtime for shifts he did not do.

After hearing legal argument this morning, trial judge Tom O'Donnell, found that payslips the prosecution intended to enter as evidence were in fact "inadmissible".

He directed the jury to find garda Folan "not guilty on all five counts".