Sligo solicitor at centre of ‘bikegate’ says Garda action “beggars belief”
SLIGO solicitor and senior counsel Damien Tansey who represented a garda who was cleared nine days ago (March 5) of any wrongdoing when he gave an unclaimed bicycle to an elderly man during the Covid-19 pandemic, says the entire case “beggars belief ”.
Mr Tansey, speaking exclusively to The Sligo Weekender newspaper, confirmed that a board of inquiry which sat in Navan just over a week ago for four days ruled in favour of his client who was cleared of all allegations. The inquiry tribunal was made up of a barrister, a detective chief superintendent from Cork and a detective superintendent from Dublin.
Following that decision the Garda Commissioner Drew Harris now has 21 days to make his decision on the ruling from the board of inquiry which was made up of two senior gardaí.
Mr Tansey said he expected the garda to be reinstated “very quickly” once Commissioner Harris makes his announcement on the inquiry.
He added: “Only in Ireland would you have a case like this, it beggars belief that it ever came this far.”
In a withering reaction to the case his client faced he added: “It beggars belief given the circumstances under which the garda was generous of his time in looking after an elderly farmer living in an isolated area with health challenges, that this was the response of the force that he had devoted his entire life to and in respect of which he had an unblemished career up to this time. As a garda detective he had received numerous commendations.
“In the year up to June 2020, the year this happened, he already received six commendations for quality work as a detective.
“It beggars belief that this is the way his own force turned on him.”