Garda not guilty of sex abuse

A garda was acquitted by a jury yesterday evening of sexually abusing a youth in the midlands on dates in 1987 and 1988.

A garda was acquitted by a jury yesterday evening of sexually abusing a youth in the midlands on dates in 1987 and 1988.

The jury of eight women and four men took almost three hours to reach unanimous verdicts on three charges after a four-day trial at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.

The 43-year-old garda was found not guilty of buggery, indecent assault and committing an act of gross indecency with the now 24-year-old man. Judge Joseph Mathews thanked the jury and discharged the garda. On the application of prosecution counsel Mr George Birmingham, he fixed July 18th next for the hearing of an issue in relation to the alleged conduct of the garda while on bail pending the trial.