Judge directs jury to acquit garda who forged signatures on statements

A garda was put on trial for forging signatures from three householders who reported thefts but the presiding judge agreed to a defence application to direct the jury to find him not guilty by direction of the trial judge.

Judge Gerard O’Brien acceded to the application by Ray Boland, defending Garda Cathal O’Reilly, at the close of the prosecution case at Cork Circuit Criminal Court. Garda O’Reilly had pleaded not guilty.

Mr Boland argued that what the guard had done was a matter for internal discipline and not a criminal matter.