Retired garda denies sexual assault

A retired garda has denied he sexually assaulted a young woman after giving her a lift in his patrol car 14 years ago, the High Court heard.

Antoinette Canty (33), The Causeway, Tralee, Co Kerry, is suing former garda Thomas Noonan (60), the Minister for Justice and the State over the alleged assault and false imprisonment in the car in Listowel, Co Kerry, on the eve of St Patrick's Day, 2001.

The defendants deny the claims. Mr Noonan, who was based in Listowel for 21 years, is representing himself. The court heard there was a Garda investigation into the matter and the Director of Public Prosecution decided not to prosecute.

In her High Court civil proceedings, Ms Canty is seeking damages for alleged psychological trauma, distress and upset.

The case began before Mr Justice Iarfhlaith O'Neill in November 2010, and was adjourned several times before it resumed this week.

Family home
Previously, Ms Canty told the court Mr Noonan gave her a lift in his patrol car after she came out of a nightclub in Listowel. She claimed, after driving past her family home, he placed his hand on her upper thigh and attempted to "get on her". She claimed she kicked him to get him off her and she believed he was going to rape or kill her.

She said she was unable to get out of the car because he had locked the door, she said.

Yesterday Mr Noonan told the court, when asked by a senior officer investigating the alleged incident whether he “had put his hand on a girl’s leg” in the patrol car, he had replied: “I did not”.

He said he first saw Ms Canty outside a nightclub in Listowel earlier in the night. While she had drink taken, she was not causing any problem, he said. He came across her again after she had locked herself in a van whose owner wanted her out of it and she left the van when requested to do so, he said.

He said he came across her a third time at about 3am after he was speaking to a cab driver and another man outside a chip shop in the town. He said he went into the chip shop and asked her to leave at the request of the proprietor. He said he told her he would drive her to the town square where she could get a cab. There were no cabs so he told her they would go back to the Garda station where she could organise a lift home, he said.

The hearing continues.