Ombudsman accused of putting evidence at risk

THE Garda Ombudsman Commission has been accused of potentially contaminating vital evidence that was to be used in connection with a number of crime investigations in Limerick.

The accusation was made yesterday by the president-elect of the GRA, Michael O’Boyce. He claimed that as part of a GSOC investigation, its officers had “rooted through” the personal lockers of gardaí and seized all their contents, including vital evidence.

Although he refused to reveal the cases, Mr O’Boyce claimed that this could damage investigations into serious crimes in the city by either “contaminating,” or “compromising” a chain of evidence.

“We were told that the ombudsman would be more speedy. But one person was contacted eight months ago and hasn’t heard from them since,” he said.

Outgoing GRA president, John Egan, also criticised the ombudsman commission in a speech he delivered to Minister for Justice Brian Lenihan and Garda Commissioner Fachtna Murphy, at the GRA’s annual conference in Co Carlow.

He said the GRA “is greatly worried” about the effects of the GSOC, which he claimed had been granted “excessive powers”.

Mr Egan claimed the GSOC crossed the line by not providing gardaí who are the subjects of complaints with details which they required to honestly answer questions.

He argued the GSOC should be providing feedback to those under complaint, such as if it is a criminal or his associate who is making the accusation.

GSOC spokesman Kieran Fitzgerald said Michael O’Boyce’s comments set a very “unfortunate” tone for his tenure as president of the GRA. “I think Michael knows full well that neither he nor I are, for legal reasons, able to discuss ongoing criminal investigations in any kind of detail in public,” he said. “So to suggest that in some way evidence was tampered with in a manner that wasn’t appropriate, is really not appropriate in my opinion.”