Garda harassed married sergeant, court hears

A garda harassed a female sergeant by sending her a Valentine’s card, emails, and a friend request on Facebook despite numerous warnings from his superiors not to have any contact with her.

Gerardine Small, prosecuting, told a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court jury the fact Garda Donal Maguire harassed the married woman was not disputed, but rather the jurors had to determine if he was suffering from a mental disorder at the time.

Garda Maguire, aged 40, of Rock Rd, Bundoran, Co Donegal, has pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity to two counts of harassing the woman at a location in Dublin on dates between February 18 and March 11, 2012, and between August 1, 2012, and February 4, 2013.

Detective Superintendent Walter O’Sullivan told the jury Garda Maguire first met the sergeant at the Dublin station he was working from in 2011. She believed there was nothing personal in their interaction.

He sent the woman a Valentine’s card in 2012. She spoke with him privately and told him his attention was inappropriate, unwanted, and unwelcome, the court heard.

She believed this would be the end of the matter but Garda Maguire continued to contact her through email via the Garda Pulse system.

She reported the emails to superior colleagues and Garda Maguire was disciplined and told not to contact her again. The emails continued, which resulted in his access to the Pulse system being revoked.

Garda Maguire then turned up at the station where she worked and specifically asked for her. He was again cautioned not to contact the woman.

Three weeks later, he turned up at a Garda 10km race she was running in; colleagues noticed him staring at her.

Again his superiors met with him and he gave an oral undertaking not to have any further contact with the woman. Two weeks later, she received a friend request from him on Facebook.

This was the final contact before seriousness of the harassment was escalated and investigated as a criminal offence.

Det Supt O’Sullivan agreed with Ronan Kennedy, defending, that when Garda Maguire was interviewed in June 2013, he said he was infatuated with the woman and this was not reciprocated.

He accepted he had been warned to stop communicating with her but had continued contact despite this.

The trial continues.