Garda spared criminal conviction over trespass at house in Dublin

A drug squad garda has been spared a criminal conviction for trespassing at a house in Dublin.

Garda Brian MacLaughlin (26), who is attached to Terenure Garda station, was told by Judge Conal Gibbons that “nobody is above the law”. But the judge struck out the case after the officer agreed to donate €1,000 to a charity nominated by the woman.

He had pleaded not guilty to assaulting student Niamh Reid Burke at a house on Crannagh Road, Rathfarnham, Dublin, in the early hours of August 19th last year. He had also denied trespassing at the same addresses in a manner causing fear.

Dropped charge
Yesterday at Dublin District Court, the State, which had prosecuted him at the suit of the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (GSOC), dropped the assault charge and Garda MacLaughlin pleaded guilty to the trespassing offence.

Judge Gibbons heard that Ms Reid Burke was trying to get a taxi to a friend’s house at Crannagh Road when she met Garda MacLaughlin who was also looking for a taxi.

James Burke of GSOC said when they reached the destination it was not clear whether they were at the right place. Garda MacLaughlin let her use his phone to call her friend.

“There appears to have been some dispute between the two parties outside the house,” the GSOC officer said, and Ms Reid Burke “ran into the house”.

Garda MacLaughlin then went to the door of the house under the impression that the woman still had his phone. He produced his ID card but did not get past the door. When he was told he was getting nowhere, he found his phone in the front garden and left.

The court heard that the garda had received many commendations in his work and that this was an isolated incident.