Latest news with #GardaCommissioner
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Motorcyclist dies weeks after Dublin crash that killed police officer
The motorcyclist involved in a crash in which a garda (Irish police) officer was killed has died in hospital. The man in his 30s died on Saturday in Beaumont Hospital following the crash in Dublin on 11 May. It happened in Lanestown, in the north of the county, shortly before 13:00 local time. Garda Kevin Flatley, 49, died at the scene after he was hit by the motorcyclist whilst carrying out a speed checkpoint. Garda Commissioner Drew Harris said he was deeply saddened by the death of his colleague and extended his sympathies to Mr Flatley's family and friends. Gardaí said it is providing support to both families involved. Garda killed at checkpoint adored by family, funeral told
BBC News
3 days ago
- General
- BBC News
Motorcyclist dies following crash in Dublin that killed garda
The motorcyclist who was involved in a crash that saw a garda (Irish police) officer killed in Dublin last month, has died in man in his 30s died on Saturday in Beaumont hospital following the crash on May was riding a motorbike when he was involved in the crash in Lanestown, in the north of the county, shortly before 13:00 local time. Garda Kevin Flatley, 49, died at the scene after he was hit by the motorcyclist whilst carrying out a speed checkpoint. Garda Commissioner Drew Harris said he was deeply saddened by the death of his colleague and extended his sympathies to Mr Flatley's family and said it is providing support to both families involved.
Irish Times
6 days ago
- General
- Irish Times
Donegal garda loses High Court challenge to suspension over alleged inappropriate relationship
Donegal-based Garda Keith Harrison has lost a High Court challenge to his ongoing suspension for an alleged inappropriate relationship with a woman he had dealt with while investigating alleged domestic abuse. Gda Harrison, who had given evidence at the Disclosures Tribunal investigating claims by Garda whistleblowers, was suspended in 2021 over the alleged inappropriate relationship. The suspension has been extended every three months since then. In March last year he started a High Court challenge to a Garda board of inquiry that was established to investigate the allegations against him. He claimed a belated disclosure of a decision not to prosecute the person accused of domestic abuse represented a significant change in circumstances that would trigger a requirement to notify him and invite submissions from him on the implications of that decision for his suspension. READ MORE He also claimed, among other complaints, that a particular witness statement had not been disclosed to his side until the board of inquiry hearing took place. Gda Harrison, who is stationed in Milford, also said the series of suspension extensions every three months was unlawful. He denied any wrongdoing, saying the relationship with the woman involved was consensual and has now ended. Garda Commissioner Drew Harris opposed the challenge. On Thursday, Mr Justice Garrett Simons dismissed the case after finding Gda Harrison's continuing suspension was lawful. Considering the 'seriousness of the breaches of discipline alleged and the apparent strength of the evidence underlying those allegations', the judge said, it was 'reasonable and rational' for the suspension to be extended at each three-month review. He was satisfied the belated disclosure of the June 2020 decision not to pursue a criminal prosecution was not a significant change that would to trigger a requirement to notify him. The essence of the alleged breach of discipline remained the same, he said. The challenge to the proposed procedures of the board of inquiry was premature and it could not be said, at this remove, that the process has gone irretrievably wrong, the judge said. The disciplinary process arose after the woman involved allegedly reported to Gda Harrison in 2019 that she was a victim of assault and domestic abuse. It is claimed he entered into a relationship with her within weeks. The judge said the alleged breach of discipline was that this was contrary to the professional duty of care for a garda to engage in a sexual relationship with a person who has made a complaint of domestic abuse to that officer. The alleged breach of discipline was directed towards 'the power dynamic between a person making a complaint of domestic abuse and the garda to whom that complaint is made', he said. The decision not the prosecute the person alleged to have carried out the abuse did 'not materially affect any assessment of the seriousness of the alleged breach of discipline', he said. Gda Harrison was one of several members of the force to appear before the Disclosures Tribunal. In 2017 and 2018, the tribunal chairman, Mr Justice Peter Charleton, rejected allegations made by him.
Irish Times
23-05-2025
- Irish Times
Garda settles High Court case against State over submachine gun discharge
A garda who was shot in the leg when his submachine gun discharged after it allegedly snagged on his bulletproof vest has settled his High Court action against the State. The garda brought an action against the Garda Commissioner, the Minister for Justice and the Attorney General. Ms Justice Denise Brett ruled that the media cannot identify the garda or any Garda witness in the case. The garda's ankle was allegedly shattered after he manoeuvred himself within the confined space of a patrol vehicle, causing the safety selector switch and the trigger of his firearm to snag on his bulletproof vest. He claimed the gun discharged one round during the incident in July 2019. READ MORE In evidence, he told the court he had never experienced pain like it and nearly passed out. On the third day of the hearing, the garda's senior counsel, Richard Kean, instructed by solicitor Brigid O'Donnell, told the court the case has settled and could be struck out. In his case, the garda claimed there was a failure to provide him with a safe place of work and he had been caused to carry his firearm in a confined space while wearing allegedly inappropriate personal protective equipment. At the opening of the case this week, the court heard liability was admitted by the defence. In his evidence, the garda, who had been in the force for more than 15 years at the time of the incident, said he was wearing a bulletproof vest, had a pistol in a holster and a submachine gun in a sling around his neck pointing down. He said he was in the driver seat and turned around to check the back seat when his submachine gun discharged. 'I felt immediate excruciating pain, and I saw smoke from the weapon and blood squirting up to the seat,' he said. He said his colleague made his weapons safe and he was brought to hospital. 'The ankle was shattered. I remember the doctor saying my leg was a mush before I went into surgery,' he told the judge. The bullet went through the back of his left leg and ankle joint and his left ankle had shattered. He had to have surgery and physiotherapy and was out of work for 18 months. The garda told the court he did everything he could to build up his leg afterwards 'but the pain never really left'.
BreakingNews.ie
23-05-2025
- BreakingNews.ie
Garda who sued State after he was shot by his own machine gun settles action
A garda who sued the State after he was shot in the leg when his submachine gun discharged after he claimed it snagged on his bulletproof vest has settled his High Court action. The garda brought an action against the Garda Commissioner, the Minister for Justice and the Attorney General. Advertisement The garda's ankle was shattered after he claimed he was required to manoeuvre himself within the confined space of a patrol vehicle, leading to the safety selector switch and the trigger of his firearm allegedly snagging on his bulletproof vest and the gun discharging one round. In evidence, the garda told the court he had never experienced pain like it and nearly passed out. On the third day of the hearing, the garda's counsel, Richard Kean SC instructed by solicitor Brigid O'Donnell, told the court the case had been settled and could be struck out. In the proceedings, it was claimed that there was a failure to provide the garda with a safe place of work, and he had been caused to carry his firearm in close proximity in a confined space while wearing allegedly inappropriate personal protective equipment. Ms Justice Denise Brett ruled that the garda and any Garda witness in the case could not be identified. At the opening of the case this week, the court heard that liability was admitted. Advertisement In his evidence, the garda, who was in the force over 15 years at the time of the incident, said he had been on patrol in July 2019 with colleagues in an area where there had been serious incidents including shootings. He said he was the driver of the jeep and he was wearing a bulletproof vest. He had a pistol in a holster and a submachine gun in a sling around his neck pointing down. He said he turned around to check the back seat when his submachine gun discharged. 'I felt immediate excruciating pain and I saw smoke from the weapon and blood squirting up to the seat,' he said. Advertisement He added: 'The pain really kicked in; it was so bad, I nearly passed out. I never experienced that type of pain,' he said. Ireland Jozef Puska's brother couldn't tell gardaí more be... Read More He said his colleague made his weapons safe and he was brought to hospital. 'The ankle was shattered. I remember the doctor saying my leg was a mush before I went into surgery,' he told the judge. The bullet had gone through the back of his left leg and ankle joint and his left ankle had shattered. He had to have surgery and later physiotherapy and he was out of work for 18 months after the incident. The garda told the court he did everything he could to build up his leg afterwards 'but the pain never really left.'
