Woman claims garda sexually assaulted her after 999 call
Detectives in Dublin quizzed a member of the force after a young woman made a complaint regarding an officer she had gone to for help.
Late last week the woman rang the emergency number 999 in a depressed state. The woman, who had been drinking in the city centre, told operators she felt suicidal.
Command and Control at garda headquarters which operates the 999 service put her through to the garda station nearest to her.
A garda in the station answered the call and told her he would meet her in a nearby park.
It is understood the officer sat the woman down and allegedly sexually assaulted her.
It is believed the garda did not force himself on her, but manipulated her into a position.
Afterwards, the garda told her he had to go back to the station and gave her his phone number.
The distressed woman, from north Co Dublin, later rang her local station.
Gardaí were dispatched to meet her. She told them what had happened and a formal statement was taken at the station.
She was brought to the Rotunda Hospital for a medical examination.
Detectives arrested the garda and detained him at Pearse Street Station under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act.
The garda is thought to be in his late 20s and is married with children. He was released without charge late on Tuesday night.
Investigators are preparing a file for the Director of Public Prosecutions. Officers are awaiting the results of the medical examination and are continuing to take statements from relevant people.
They are also listening to the tape of the original 999 call from Control and Command.
It will be up to the DPP to decide whether criminal charges should be brought against the garda.
He has been suspended from duty pending the outcome of the investigation.
A garda spokesman confirmed that an investigation was under way into alleged improprieties by a Dublin-based garda as a result of a complaint made over the last few days.
Labour Party justice spokesman Joe Costello said that these were very serious and disturbing allegations.
But he added that no charges had yet been brought against the garda.
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