Garda ‘devastated’ when charged in taxi fare row

A Garda with more than 30 years service in the force yesterday told the High Court he was devastated to be charged after he was arrested while off-duty when he queried a taxi fare.

Garda Oliver Cully, who works on protection duty at Áras an Uachtaráin, said he was later cleared and found not guilty in the District Court of all charges, including drunkenness and breach of the peace.

“If convicted it was inevitable I would lose my job. It devastated me,” he said, breaking down briefly in the witness box.