Courts / Wicklow / Report

Detective lying "to the point of no return", State's counsel tells jury in forgery trial

Summary

In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court trial, Detective Garda Catherine McGowan, aged 48, pleaded not guilty to forging a letter from the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) and to using a false instrument in 2009 and 2011. The alleged forged letter, dated 14 January 2009, claimed no prosecution would be brought in a clerical child‑abuse case. McGowan's actions were investigated after the Murphy Report examined church and state responses to clerical abuse. The State's counsel argued that McGowan had fabricated the forgery to mislead investigators, citing her repeated lies to solicitors and alleged victims. Defence counsel maintained that McGowan had acted diligently and refused to admit wrongdoing when confronted with evidence of forgery. The trial concluded with the State and defence delivering closing speeches; Judge Mary Ellen Ring will now direct the jury to deliberate.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Detective lying "to the point of no return", State's counsel tells jury in forgery trial. Charges or matters: one count of forgery on January 15, 2009 at Bray Garda Station and two counts of using a false instrument at Bray Garda Station and at Harcourt Street Garda Station between June 21 and 22, 2011. Procedural stage: trial

When:

• January 15, 2009 Hearing Or Sentence
• June 21 Hearing Or Sentence
• January 14, 2009 Other
• April 2011 Other
• 2015-03-10 Publication

Why: Counsel said there was no link which might provide some motive for her to tell people in 2009 that the DPP had directed no prosecution against the cleric. Prosecution account reported by CNI

Case subjects

Places mentioned

Topics

Stage Trial

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Read the original CNI report