Jury finds Det Supt Rory Sheriff used reasonable force in arresting John Bowe

This report is a localnews.ie summary based on public court reporting and records; sources are listed below.

A High Court jury found that Det Supt Rory Sheriff used reasonable force when arresting former garda John Bowe in a field outside Bunclody, Co Wexford, following a high-speed chase in 2014. The majority verdict came after four-and-a-half hours of deliberations in Sheriff’s second civil trial, after a jury in the first trial failed to reach a conclusion.

Bowe’s case concerned a baton strike to his head during the arrest. He claimed the alleged injuries led to a diagnosis of functional neurological disorder; the claim was denied. Sheriff did not deny striking Bowe, but said his actions were justified. The judge awarded costs to Sheriff’s legal team for both trials, with the award stayed pending any appeal.