Limerick councillor referred to regulatory committee over contacting superintendent on speeding ticket

FINE Gael councillor Liam Galvin is to be referred to the Fine Gael Regulatory Committee over contacting former Supeintendent Eamon O’Neill about a speeding ticket, Limerick Live can reveal.

Now retired Mr O’Neill, along with Garda Colm Geary, Garda Tom McGlinchey, Sergeant Michelle Leahy and Sergeant Anne-Marie Hassett were all found not guilty by a jury of 39 charges relating to attempting to pervert the course of justice this Monday afternoon. The trial at Limerick Circuit Criminal Court had entered its ninth week.

An exchange of text messages between Cllr Liam Galvin and then Supt O'Neill was shown to the jury during the trial in December.

The Abbeyfeale-based councillor sent a picture of a fixed charge penalty notice to then Supt O'Neill with an accompanying text message which read: "Can you sort that for me?"

The fixed charge penalty notice related to an alleged offence of speeding at 142km per hour in a 120km zone on the M20 near Patrickswell, Co Limerick, in November 2017.

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In the statement issued this Monday, Mr Galvin said he "deeply regrets contacting former Superintendent Eamon O'Neill on this matter".

“It was an error of judgement, and I apologise for that. I cooperated fully with An Garda Síochána in relation to this case.

“I understand this matter is now being referred to the Fine Gael Regulatory Committee and I will fully cooperate with that process,” concluded the statement by Cllr Galvin.

Cllr Galvin was not arrested as part of the investigation.