Suspended garda reinstated

A Letterkenny-based garda suspended from the force has been reinstated.

Garda Tina Fowley was suspended in 2002 when the conviction of Donegal publican Frank Shortt was overturned.

Mr Shortt had been jailed for allowing drugs to be sold on his premises and Garda Fowley was one of the gardaí who claimed they saw the drugs being sold.

A spokesman from the Garda Press Office confirmed that Garda Fowley was reinstated in her job at midnight on Tuesday. The decision followed an investigation into her case. An earlier court action by Ms Fowley to have her suspension overturned had failed.

Earlier this year, Garda Fowley took High Court proceedings to have gardaí outside Donegal investigate a burglary of her home in which tapes, said to be relevant to the Morris tribunal, were stolen.

Ms Fowley, who lives in Letterkenny, said she had given evidence to the tribunal about serious misconduct by some senior members of the Donegal division. In particular, she said, she had alleged that Supt John McGinley was involved in forging the signature of Frank McBrearty jnr, who was wrongfully arrested in connection with the death of Richie Barron.