Four gardaí are facing assault charges after claims a young man was beaten at his home in Dublin’s south inner city during a raid.
The 19-year-old’s mother made a complaint, saying her son was attacked by officers at Basin Street flats in February last year.
The Garda Ombudsman launched an investigation following the incident and tonight confirmed the officers would face charges.
“We can confirm that summonses have been served on four members of An Garda Siochána,” a spokesman for the Ombudsman’s office said.
Three men and a woman, who were suspended from the force by Garda Commissioner Fachtna Murphy last February, were served with summonses late last week.
All four gardaí, who had been based at Kevin Street and Kilmainham stations at the time, are facing assault charges while three are facing charges of false imprisonment. The case is due before the courts in Dublin on May 14th.
The incident took place on Sunday February 17th, 2008 and the teenager was treated in St James’ Hospital for facial wounds.
The victim's mother made the complaint to the Ombudsman after contacting her solicitor the day after the incident.
It is understood investigators from the Ombudsman’s office had been investigating why gardaí called at the home. They were also looking into claims there had been a previous incident involving the injured man and a garda, and whether the two events were linked.
The officers were not suspended until almost a week after the incident when senior gardaí became aware.
The officers were the first gardai to have been suspended following a complaint to the Ombudsman’s office.
The Garda Press Office declined to comment.
PA