Celebrity solicitor was ‘sold a pup’ by garda commissioner

Former garda commissioner Martin Callinan briefed celebrity solicitor Gerald Kean for almost an hour before a radio appearance in which Mr Kean questioned and criticised whistleblower Sergeant Maurice McCabe.

Mr Callinan also helped Mr Kean write a response to Sgt McCabe after the whistleblower threatened legal action, alleging that Mr Kean had made “horrendous” statements on air accusing him criminal and disciplinary offences that were highly damaging to his reputation.

Mr Kean told the Disclosures Tribunal yesterday that Mr Callinan had told him Sgt McCabe was troublesome, difficult, and obstructive or words to that effect; that he had refused to co-operate with an internal garda probe into his whistleblower claims and had breached the Data Protection Act by leaking personal details of penalty point recipients to TDs.