Courts / Westmeath / Report

1,600 phone contacts between garda and alleged heroin dealer, Tribunal told

Date
2020-02-11

Stage
Hearing Or Decision

Primary locality
Athlone

Summary

During a 2020 hearing, the Disclosures Tribunal examined evidence that a senior Garda from the Athlone drugs unit, referred to as Garda A, had made 1,600 phone contacts with an alleged heroin dealer, Ms B, during a 2009 operation. The tribunal, chaired by Judge Sean Ryan, is investigating whether Garda Nicholas Keogh, who disclosed misconduct in 2014, was targeted or harassed after his protected disclosure on 8 May 2014. Detective Inspector Michael Coppinger testified that the 1,600 contacts were recovered from Garda A's phone, which had been seized in April 2015, and that the data had been downloaded by telecoms before any alleged wiping. In October 2015, investigators searched Ms B's Athlone address and recovered up to 20 devices, including SIM cards, laptops and phones, but the evidence did not meet the threshold for criminal prosecution.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: 1,600 phone contacts between garda and alleged heroin dealer, Tribunal told. Procedural stage: hearing_or_decision

When:

8 May Other
April 2015 Other
October 2015 Other
July 2014 Other
November 2015 Other
2020-02-11 Publication

Why: Gda Keogh alleges that when Garda A's phone was seized by investigators in April 2015, contacts and communications had been "wiped" because of delays and flaws in the investigation. CNI source report

Places mentioned

Secondary Mention

Athlone

Topics

Drugs Stage Hearing Or Decision

Related court reports

Read the original CNI report

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