SENIOR GARDAÍ ‘MINING FOR DIRT’
SENIOR gardaí were ‘mining for dirt’ against Sgt Maurice McCabe in 2013, his barrister Michael McDowell has claimed at the tribunal.
During his cross-examination of Martin Callinan, Mr McDowell said that in 2013, a Garda report was compiled which appeared to be a compilation of any disciplinary record held involving his client, dating back to 1992.
‘Someone has spent a long time trying to uncover anything discreditable about him,’ said Mr McDowell. ‘How was that relevant in 2013?’ Mr Callinan replied: ‘I would like to be in a position to answer that, chairman, but I simply don’t know.’ He added: ‘It’s certainly not the case that I went mining for materials... I certainly did not order or request it to be done.’
Mr McDowell also complained that two very senior gardaí had been dispatched in 2013 to follow up allegations of professional malpractice against Sgt McCabe, which turned out to be bogus. ‘There was a mining for dirt against Sgt McCabe,’ he added.
Mr Callinan replied: ‘I have no knowledge of that.’
The former commissioner acknowledged that the false 2006 sexual abuse allegation against Sgt McCabe would be well known in the Bailieborough area of Co. Cavan.
‘It would be crazy to suggest otherwise,’ he said. ‘In the Garda family, word gets out.’