Guerin report has ‘unjustly tarnished’ junior officers

The largest Garda staff body has said junior members of the force have been "unjustly" tarnished by the Guerin report into allegations by whistleblower Sergeant Maurice McCabe.

The Garda Representative Association claimed that Guerin’s findings — including poor standards of investigations by young gardaí and sometimes abusive treatment of victims — were just allegations by Sgt McCabe, which had not been tested.

“Overlooked has been the impact on those lower down the pecking order — the adverse effect it has had on those gardaí continuing to serve with their reputations tarnished by a one-sided report detailing allegations like punches thrown,” said GRA general secretary PJ Stone. “Allegations are not established facts.”