Retired garda awarded damages from FF TD

Fianna Fáil Deputy Noel O’Flynn was today ordered to pay more than €12,000 to a retired garda in a defamation case at Cork Circuit Court today.

Deputy O’Flynn totally denied he ever made defamatory remarks about the retired garda but a Circuit Court Judge found against the politician and ordered him to pay €12,700 in compensation.

Judge Patrick J Moran ordered Deputy O’Flynn to pay €12,700 to Jerry McCarthy, who was 66 years old yesterday and has been retired for 10 years after 33 years of “exemplary service”.

“I am absolutely delighted for myself and my family, I am absolutely thrilled. Honesty wins out,” Mr McCarthy, from Monacanappa, Blarney, said afterwards.

Deputy O’Flynn said: “No comment.”

Judge Moran ruled that on February 8, 2001, Noel O’Flynn called the guard a thief.

“Being called a thief was not a very nice thing. He caused quite a lot of upset to Mr McCarthy and his family and neighbours and friends. There was a frightful slander uttered about this man,” Judge Moran said in his judgement.

Circuit Court costs and the legal costs of earlier High Court proceedings were awarded against the Fianna Fáil politician.