Limerick car dealer who claims €20k extortion by detective for raid tip-off, told gardai he did not tell GSOC

A man who claims he was extorted into giving a detective garda €20,000 in exchange for a tip-off about a raid on his car dealership, told gardai he did not tell the Garda Ombudsman (GSOC).

Stephen O'Sullivan (43) is accused of giving or agreeing to give to Detective Garda David Bourke a monetary gain as an inducement to reveal confidential information concerning an investigation being carried out by (CAB) in relation to Stephen O’Sullivan, trading as Stephen Bawn Motors. Mr O'Sullivan, of Farrehy, Broadford, Co Limerick, is a director of the business.

He has pleaded not guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to the single count of corruption at Bruree, Co Limerick on December 22, 2018. 

The court has heard an audio recording of Stephen O’Sullivan giving €20,000 to Detective Garda David Bourke.

READ MORE: Mother and son plead guilty to charges in connection with street knife attack on Limerick man

Mr O’Sullivan was arrested on January 23, 2019, by the Garda National Bureau of Criminal Investigation (NCBI). 

The jury was told Mr O’Sullivan met with gardai in 2022 and told them how he came to be in Det Gda Bourke’s Berlingo van and pay the €20,000. It was also told Mr O’Sullivan maintains he was intimidated or extorted to pay over that money.

Gardai asked him how that meeting was arranged and he replied that he did not communicate with Det Gda Bourke by telephone before that. 

“He came into the yard”. When asked what colour the van was, he said it was white and “there was a smell of greyhound piss” in it.

When asked by gardai in the interview “How did you feel?” he said: “I didn’t want to be there. I felt pressurised and stressed.”

When asked by gardai “Did you tell anyone?” he replied: “Who do you call like? You can’t call the guards on the guards. Who could you call like?”

He told gardai that if he “went anywhere in Munster trying to report them, they’re going to be onto the next county.”

“That’s why I’m meeting you here today” he added.

When gardai asked him if he reported it to the Garda Siochana Ombudsman Commission or anything like that? “No I didn’t know about GSOC or anything like that.”

Judge Sinéad Ní Chúlacháin presiding told the jury it was not required until Friday.