Retired superintendent and four serving gardai acquitted of perverting the course of justice

A former garda superintendent and four serving gardai have all been found not guilty of attempting to pervert the course of justice, following an eight week trial before Limerick Circuit Court. 

The jury of eight men and four women indicated it had reached its verdict shortly after 2.15pm this Monday. They had deliberated for six hours and seven minutes.

Retired superintendent Eamon O’Neill, Garda Colm Geary, Garda Tom McGlinchey, Sergeant Michelle Leahy and Sergeant Anne-Marie Hassett sat stony-faced as the verdict was being read out by the court registrar.

They were suspended from the force six years ago and Mr O'Neill has since retired.

Between them, the defendants had pleaded not guilty to a total of 39 charges, which all relate to allegations that attempted to pervert the course of justice over Fixed Charge Penalty Notices which relating to road traffic offences. 

The allegations included the squaring away of penalties for offences including speeding, holding a mobile phone while driving, having no insurance and not wearing a seatbelt.

The registrar said “not guilty” to each of the 39 charges.

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Mr O’Neill, Garda Geary, Garda McGlinchey, Sgt Leahy and Garda Hassett all wept openly after the verdicts were announced.

There was loud applause in the packed courtroom from family, friends and supporters.

Outside Limerick Courthouse, Daniel O’Gorman, solicitor for Mr O’Neill, read a statement to media in attendance, saying “so many lives ruined for years and years”.

“Eamon O’Neill and the other defendants have been fully acquitted. Their families have been devastated. The State with all its power came after Eamon O’Neill and the other defendants. The State said yes and the people have said no. The people speak and the State must and will listen. We are the people,” read out Mr O’Gorman.

The solicitor quoted Supreme Court Judge Peter Charleton who said, in another Court, “The State say the accused are corrupt and the accused say the State is corrupt.” 

Mr O’Gorman said “we know the accused are not corrupt”. 

“Now it is time to see if the State has been corrupt. The newly minted Commissioner, the Minister and the State must take steps immediately to restore the people’s confidence in the State. 

“There are immediate steps that he can take now and if Commissioner Justin Kelly doesn’t know what they are, he can call me,” concluded Mr O’Gorman with Mr O’Neill by his side.

Mr O'Neill said the trial "was about me" and he urged those involved in the prosecution to "think long and hard about the decisions they made through all of this."

The retired superintendent said he has "never felt pressure like it in my whole life" but that he was now relieved and looking forward to getting on with his life with his family.