Jury finds superintendent used reasonable force in baton strike on ex-garda

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 after a high-speed chase in Wexford in 2014. The majority verdict followed four and a half hours of deliberations in the second civil trial, after an earlier jury failed to reach a conclusion.

Bowe had claimed Sheriff wrongfully struck him over the head with a baton and that he was diagnosed with functional neurological disorder arising from alleged injuries. Sheriff accepted striking Bowe but maintained that his actions were justified; the claim was denied. The judge awarded costs to Sheriff’s legal team for both trials, with the award stayed pending any appeal.