JUDGE FILLS RTE STARS WITH DREDD

Media ‘freeloaders’ under fire amid cost of living crisis | Senator claims more covert vehicle deals will be uncovered

- TOM TUITE, FERGHAL BLANEY and SANDRA MALLON

A JUDGE hearing TV licence prosecutions said he would keep fines to a minimum as he slammed RTE for elitism, “God-like personalities” and “freeloaders” while defendants were “crippled with the cost of living”.

The judge was speaking as the RTE scandal rumbles on into another weekend, as the Public Accounts Committee prepares to welcome Ryan Tubridy to Leinster House for a grilling on Tuesday.

The revelation that Mr Tubridy had received secret payments totalling almost €350,000 over the past five years sparked controversy.

Judge Anthony Halpin made his comments before hearing 159 prosecutions brought by An Post against TV owners who have not paid their €160 annual licence fees at Dublin District Court yesterday. He said: "The people before this court are accused of failing to pay the TV licence fee, and these - people may feel a little hard done by when they see the way RTE has abused statutory funding which is annually provided to RTE.

"I am appalled and disgusted that such clandestine, secretive and dubious goings-on would be the order of the day in respect of arrangements between RTE and the God-like personalities who seem to be above scrutiny."

Judge Halpin said he had watched some of the proceedings of the Dail committees on TV and praised the chairs and the respective members for their "sterling work".