Courts / Wicklow / Report

Jury begin deliberating in trial of detective charged with forging DPP letter

Date
2015-03-11

Stage
Trial

Primary locality
Wicklow

County
Wicklow

Summary

A jury has begun deliberating in the trial of Wicklow Detective Garda Catherine McGowan, aged 48, who is charged with forging a letter from the Director of Public Prosecutions. McGowan pleaded not guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to one count of forgery relating to an incident on 15 January 2009 at Bray Garda Station, and to two counts of using a false instrument concerning events on 21 and 22 June 2011 at Bray and Harcourt Street Garda Stations. The alleged forged letter, dated 14 January 2009, purportedly instructed that no prosecution should proceed in a clerical child‑abuse case, citing the complainant's allegation of rape as conjecture. The investigation was triggered by the Murphy Report, which examined the response of church and state authorities to clerical sexual abuse in Dublin. Judge Mary Ellen Ring addressed the jury of six men and six women before sending them out to deliberate, with a return scheduled for the next day.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Jury begin deliberating in trial of detective charged with forging DPP letter. 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
2015-03-11 Publication

Case subjects

Catherine McGowan

Accused

Charges: 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 (Alleged Or Contested)

Plea: Not guilty