Garda who gave elderly man a bike during pandemic faces disciplinary inquiry on Tuesday

Ali Bracken

Sun 21 Jan 2024 at 02:30

A garda suspended for three years after he provided an elderly, isolated man with an unclaimed bicycle for transport during the pandemic will appear before a sworn disciplinary inquiry on Tuesday. ​

The officer, who was only recently reinstated, has been on “restricted duties” at a midlands station since his return to work.

In June 2020, gardaí from the National Bureau of Criminal Investigation (NBCI) raided the home of the garda who is nearing the end of an “exemplary” career.

The elderly man’s home was also visited by the NBCI and the bicycle retrieved.

The garda had given the bicycle to the man a few weeks earlier, but had failed to fill out the necessary paperwork, it is understood.

The officer was suspended for three years

Sources said the “vulnerable and isolated” elderly man lived in a rural area and his own bicycle had become unusable.

The elderly man needed a bicycle to get to the shops, it is understood.

He spoke to the garda about this.

The officer decided to give him an unclaimed bike recovered by gardaí “some time previously” as no one had come forward to claim it.

​The garda officer was suspended immediately after his home was raided by the NBCI, which was conducted in front of his wife and children.

It is understood this caused him “great distress”.

He had “no idea” he was under investigation of any kind until gardaí arrived at his doorstep.

He remained suspended for three years — and was only reinstated in late 2023 following the completion of an NBCI investigation, which found he had “no criminal case” to answer.

The officer will attend Tuesday’s disciplinary proceedings and it will be adjudicated on by a legal professional, a superintendent and a chief superintendent, who are unconnected to the case.

The garda, who has had significant support from his peers over the matter, is facing a number of potential sanctions.

These include a reprimand, a fine, a caution and even dismissal from the force.

He could also be cleared of all wrongdoing by the disciplinary inquiry.