Two gardaí who were suspended six years ago during a Garda investigation into alleged unlawful squaring of fixed charge penalty points have had their suspensions lifted.
The two gardaí, who were attached to the Limerick Garda division, were contacted by Garda Headquarters on Thursday and informed they had no case to answer and would be reinstated to the force if they so wished.
The two gardaí were suspended in November 2020 and remained in limbo for the past six years. They had consistently maintained their innocence.
Lawyers for the two gardaí previously made a High Court application seeking their suspensions to be lifted as they were not charged with any criminal offence and there appeared to be no resolution.
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Neither of the two gardaí were ever charged with offences following the investigation led by the Garda National Bureau of Criminal Investigation (GNBCI).
A Garda press officer confirmed the suspensions were lifted on February 12th.
A statement issued by Frank Thornton of the Garda Representative Association in Limerick described the suspensions as “unjust”.
“Thankfully today Garda management have reinstated these members, and we now begin the process of recovery from what has been a truly devastating and painful five years for these members and their families,” the statement added.
Some 130 gardaí in the southern region were interviewed by the GNBCI as part of the investigation.
Four serving gardaí and a retired Garda superintendent, who were also suspended and charged arising out of the same investigation, were acquitted by a jury last month following a nine-week trial at Limerick Circuit Criminal Court.
The five who were accused of attempting to pervert the course of justice – including retired Supt Eamon O’Neill; his wife Garda Anne Marie Hassett, Ennis, Co Clare; Sgt Michelle Leahy, Roxboro Road, Limerick; Garda Tom McGlinchey, Doon, Co Limerick; and Garda Colm Geary, Ennis, Co Clare – had all denied the charges.
O’Neill and Hassett have initiated legal proceedings against the force for damages due to their arrests for crimes they were found not guilty of.
Immediately following their trial, the Garda Commissioner lifted the suspensions of the four serving members.
O’Neill has retired from the force.
