Garda allegedly used bananas to harass fellow female officer who suffers with fruit phobia

It’s alleged the garda used bananas

as part of an ongoing campaign of harassment and stalking against the female officer.

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A serving Garda is at the centre of a criminal investigation for allegedly harassing another member of the force – including with bananas, it has emerged.

The Irish Mirror has established that the officer is alleged to have tormented the female garda with bananas – after learning she had a phobia of the fruit.

It’s alleged he used bananas as part of an ongoing campaign of harassment and stalking against the female officer.

“The alleged harassment is of a very serious nature,” a source told The Mirror last night. “He became infatuated with her and wouldn’t take no for an answer.”

Sources have told us that Garda detectives began a criminal investigation into a complaint against the west of Ireland officer earlier this year.

We have established that investigators have now sent a file to the Director of Public Prosecutions for it to consider whether the officer should be charged with harassment of the female garda – as well as with criminal damage.

That relates to an incident in which it is alleged he broke into the female officer’s locker at a west of Ireland Garda station as part of an alleged campaign of harassment against her.

The DPP is now considering the file – and it is likely to be several months before the officer learns if he is to be charged. We have established that the alleged campaign of harassment against the female officer is suspected of having lasted more than two years.

It’s understood the pair knew each other, but the female officer did not want a relationship with the suspect and he is then alleged to have begun harassing her over a lengthy period.

He is alleged to have begun pestering the woman by bombarding her with text messages – as well as making derogatory comments to her in front of colleagues.

The harassment is alleged to have ramped up when he became aware of her banana phobia, sources say. It’s understood he regularly left bananas in Garda cars that he knew the female officer would be using – as well as in rooms in the station itself.

At one stage, a more senior officer brought the garda into an office to speak to him about his alleged behaviour – but it’s claimed he had a banana on his head the whole time the meeting took place.

“It sounds crazy, but he had a banana on his head the whole time,” a source said last night. “His behaviour was way over the line,” the source added. “It was controlling and very aggressive.”

We have learned that as part of the investigation, he was interviewed under caution earlier this year.