Garda jailed one year for forgery

A garda sergeant who forged passport applications forms has been jailed for a year by the Special Criminal Court. 42-year-old Finbarr Hickey of Mary Street North in Dundalk pleaded guilty to four charges.

Mr Justice Frederick Morris told Sergeant Hickey he had betrayed his position of trust and betrayed the body on which the public must be and is entitled to depend.

The four charges to which Hickey pleaded guilty related to 1995. He signed and stamped passport application forms at Hackballscross Garda Station.

Detective Inspector John O'Mahony told the court the sergeant had severe personal problems and was drinking heavily when approached by a former senior colleague who asked him to do a favour.

Two of the forged passport applications were in the names of people, who had not applied and two were in the names of children who died in infancy.

Hickey, who had previously been commended for capturing an armed robber and was preceded in the force by his grandfather and father, co-operated fully with gardai once arrested.

Mr Justice Morris says that by giving way to temptation the sergeant had betrayed his family tradition.