Limerick garda trial’s gripping and emotional conclusion inside and outside the courtroom

“COUNT one not guilty, count two not guilty, count three not guilty,” read out the registrar in Limerick Circuit Criminal Court shortly after 2.15pm on Monday afternoon.

The jury in the trial of a former superintendent and four serving gardai had come back to court 3 some 45 minutes after resuming deliberations following their lunch break. 

The eight men and four women returned a unanimous verdict on the 39 charges of  attempting to pervert the course of justice over Fixed Charge Penalty Notices relating to road traffic offences. They included allegations of  squaring away” penalties for offences including speeding, holding a mobile phone while driving, having no insurance and not wearing a seatbelt.

The jury commenced their deliberations on Friday afternoon, continued on Monday morning and took six hours and seven minutes in total.

“Count four not guilty, count five not guilty, count six not guilty,” continued the registrar.

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Eamon O’Neill, former superintendent, Garda Colm Geary and Garda Tom McGlinchey sat side by side in the dock. As the bench can only accommodate three people, Sergeant Michelle Leahy and Garda Anne-Marie Hassett sat in chairs to the side of the three men, facing forward towards the judge.

Mr O’Neill had his two hands up to his face, Garda Geary looked ashen-faced, Garda McGlinchey stony-faced.

The registrar kept going, he reached “court 25 not guilty, count 26 not guilty, count 27 not guilty”.

At this stage, the packed courtroom could feel the way this was going  - like a team that had got on top in the second half and was well in command.

The tears started to flow from the eyes of the five on trial as they knew it was going their way. The emotion, not just of a trial that had entered its ninth week, but of six long years since they were suspended from the force, came to the surface.

“Count 37 not guilty, count 38 not guilty, count 39 not guilty,” concluded the registrar. The five were found not guilty on all counts.

Spontaneous clapping and cheering erupted from the body of the courtroom.

The five no-longer accused embraced each other. 

Family members, close friends, serving and retired gardaí, as well as members of the Garda Síochána Retired Members’ Association and the Garda Representative Association were all packed in. Seats reserved for legal counsel / practitioners had even been commandeered. 

An even louder cheer went up in Court 1, by all accounts, where more supporters who couldn’t fit in Court 3 were watching proceedings via a video feed.

Judge Roderick Maguire thanked the members of the jury very much for their long service. 

“It was a very long trial. You won’t have to take part in jury service for another eight years,” he said. It was  the longest trial in living memory at  Limerick Circuit Criminal Court.

Judge Maguire thanked all the barristers and solicitors and Court Service staff for their professionalism and assistance in “what has been a very long and difficult case”.

“All rise,” said the registrar. 

Only then, after the judge had risen, did Garda Hassett leave her seat and hug her husband,  Mr O’Neill.

It was like a removal in a funeral parlour instead of a courtroom as a queue of people formed to go shake hands with the five but instead of sympathies they expressed well wishes. 

Hands were shook and shoulders slapped. Loved ones were hugged and the tears continued to flow.

“That’s justice, boy,” said one supporter. “We got there, kid,” said another. “We’ll never see the likes of this again,” was also heard uttered above the bedlam.

Outside the courtroom a guard of honour began to form by supporters. It must have felt like coming out of the tunnel in Semple Stadium on Munster final day. Hands were sore from clapping and voices hoarse from cheering as Garda McGlinchey and then Garda Geary made their way through the thronged crowd. Next was Sgt Leahy who was hugged by supporters.

Last to leave the courtroom were Mr O’Neill and Garda Hassett and applause erupted for the couple. They made their way through the crowd, down the stairs and out of Limerick Courthouse with the registrar saying “not guilty” again and again ringing in their ears.