Courts / Ireland / Report

McGuinness tells tribunal that Callinan labelled whistleblowers as "headbangers"

Summary

During a Charleton tribunal hearing, former Garda Commissioner Martin Callinan was alleged to have referred to whistleblowers Sergeant Maurice McCabe and John Wilson as "headbangers" after giving evidence to the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) on penalty‑point abuses. John McGuinness TD, who chaired the PAC, testified that Callinan told him a story about Wilson and a horse, then described McCabe as a "fiddler with kids" and a "kiddie fiddler". McGuinness said he listened privately and did not comment, believing the remarks were for his benefit. He also recounted a separate meeting at a hotel where Callinan claimed McCabe had sexually abused his family and that an investigation was underway. McGuinness maintained he had no knowledge of these allegations before the meeting and that he had not shared them with other committee members. The tribunal heard that Callinan denied the conversation had occurred and that he had only spoken to McGuinness privately.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: McGuinness tells tribunal that Callinan labelled whistleblowers as "headbangers". Procedural stage: charge_or_pretrial

When:

• January 23, 2014 Hearing Or Sentence
• January 2014 Other
• January 2017 Other
• 2018-04-09 Publication

Why: "But the reason the Public Accounts Committee pursued this was because it was obvious that the processes spoken of by Commissioner Callinan had failed miserably," Mr McGuinness said. CNI source report

Places mentioned

Topics

Stage Charge Or Pretrial

Read the original CNI report