Former garda deputy commissioner tells Limerick garda trial 'you don't just do what you're asked'

A FORMER deputy commissioner of An Garda Síochána told the trial of a retired superintendent and four serving gardaí that "you don't just do what you're asked". 

Retired deputy commissioner John Twomey was giving evidence at the trial of retired superintendent Eamon O’Neill, Garda Colm Geary, Garda Tom McGlinchey, Sergeant Michelle Leahy and Sergeant Anne-Marie Hassett. 

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He told the Limerick Circuit Court that in the "ordinary run of the mill" when a senior garda gives a direction to do something, it is not questioned. 

However, Mr Twomey stressed that if the task was outside the parameters of ordinary duty, that "there is a line".

The head of the garda press office and most senior garda in that office, superintendent Liam Geraghty said that investigations involving senior members of An Garda Síochána are a "matter of national interest".

Barrister Felix McEnroy SC questioned Mr Geraghty on press releases issued in May 2019 when the home shared by Eamon O'Neill and Sgt Anne-Marie Hassett was raided under warrant. 

This was in relation to Mr O'Neill and an alleged offence contrary to section 62 of the Garda Síochána Act 2005. No criminal charges arose out of this alleged offence. 

Mr O’Neill, then still a superintendent, was alleged to have disclosed information obtained in the course of his work for the gardaí.

Mr Geraghty confirmed that four press releases were issued at the time in relation to Mr O'Neill and two other high ranking gardaí. 

He said that these were issued on May 16 and 17 - the day of the arrest and the day after. 

Mr Geraghty told the jury of eight men and four women "there were conversations" about what information would be sent out to the media. 

He said that he would have been in contact with now retired detective chief superintendent Walter O'Sullivan concerning the continued detention or otherwise of the gardaí involved and that he "had conversations with him". 

This contradicts the jury being told in previous evidence that Mr O'Sullivan "had no involvement in the press briefing".

Mr Geraghty clarified that a press release will "never name a person", in relation to Mr O'Neill possibly being identified by the press releases. 

It was also clarified by barrister for the State, Carl Hanahoe SC that at the time there were more than 150 superintendents in Ireland and the press release did not identify or name any one person, it did not identify an arresting location and the only location identified was Ireland. 

Mr Hanahoe also stated that the garda press office in conjunction with the Road Safety Authority (RSA) has run three high profile campaigns in relation to wearing seatbelts, addressing excessive speeding and the use of mobile phones while driving and that these are primarily directed at young men. 

Mr Geraghty replied that there is "certainly a high volume of road deaths in that population". 

He added: "There is significant public interest in investigations involving members of An Garda Síochána" stressing that the arrest of senior officers is a "significant event".

The trial of five accused started at the beginning of November and was initially expected to last six weeks. 

Each of them have pleaded not guilty to a total of 39 charges, which all relate to attempting to pervert the course of justice over Fixed Charge Penalty Notices (FCPN) relating to road traffic offences.

These offences are alleged to have occurred between October 2016 and September 2019. They include squaring away of penalties for offences including speeding, holding a mobile phone while driving, having no insurance and not wearing a seatbelt.   

The trial continues at Limerick Circuit Court on Mulgrave Street next week.