Courts / Westmeath / Report

Insufficient evidence for inquiry into whistleblower's corruption claims, senior garda found

Date
2020-02-21

Stage
Charge Or Pretrial

Primary locality
Athlone

Summary

The Disclosures Tribunal, chaired by Judge Sean Ryan, is investigating whether whistleblower Garda Nicholas Keogh was targeted after making a protected disclosure in 2014. The hearing, now in its tenth week, examined allegations that Garda A, a senior member of the Athlone drugs unit, colluded with an alleged heroin dealer, identified as Ms B. Evidence presented included over 1,500 phone and text contacts between the two from May to August 2010. Garda A claimed he was cultivating Ms B as a tout. Chief Superintendent Margaret Nugent of Internal Affairs, who acted as protected disclosures manager, testified that she received a disciplinary report in February 2019 regarding these claims. She noted that while there was cause for concern over the excessive contact, there was insufficient corroborative evidence to definitively prove Garda A tipped off Ms B to dispose of her phone in June 2009. Consequently, Chief Supt Nugent recommended to Assistant Commissioner David Sheahan that a Board of Inquiry was not warranted due to a lack of substantiation for the majority of allegations, including claims of planting drugs. She recommended two warnings for minor matters. Garda A, who had been suspended since October 2015, was restored to duty on April 30, 2019, though he remains suspended in relation to other matters. The tribunal is adjourned to Monday, 2 March, 2020.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Insufficient evidence for inquiry into whistleblower's corruption claims, senior garda found. Procedural stage: charge_or_pretrial

When: