Garda investigation into former Gsoc officer widens

Gsoc has ordered an external examination of its systems and processes, to start once the Garda investigation is complete.

Detectives are widening their investigation into the suspected leaking of confidential information by a former investigator in the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission ( Gsoc) to the Hutch crime gang.

In a fast-moving investigation this week, gardaí initially spoke to the officer on Monday, April 24, after he voluntarily agreed to talk to them in relation to his presence at a party attended by Gerry ‘The Monk’ Hutch on the night of his acquittal for the Regency Hotel murder (Monday, April 17).

After examining what he said and on foot of information gathered in the following days, detectives from the National Bureau of Criminal Investigation arrested the man on Thursday morning under section 81 of the Garda Síochána Act 2005, relating to the suspected disclosure of information held by the Garda Ombudsman.

Garda HQ said on Friday that the man had been released pending a file being sent to the DPP, and that investigations were ongoing.

“The investigation escalated quickly,” said a source. “It started about going to a party, and it quickly escalated to the provision of confidential information.” 

The man's computer and various electronic devices are being examined.

It is understood the officer told colleagues that he had attended a party which ‘The Monk’ attended. He left his job later last week.

It has been claimed that the officer may also have mentioned to someone in Gsoc before the party that he might be going to it.

Gsoc has ordered an external examination of its systems and processes, to start once the Garda investigation is complete.

The investigation went back to the officer’s involvement in the Gsoc probe into the death of Detective Superintendent Colm Fox, who took his own life in 2018.

He was the senior officer in the investigation into Patrick Hutch for the murder of David Byrne at the Regency in February 2016. Following the death of Det Supt Colm Fox, the murder trial collapsed.

The Gsoc investigator would have had access to the investigation file and other files that Det Supt Fox was involved in at the time.

Garda sources point out that Gsoc holds information on a range of sensitive investigations, including gardaí with drug or gambling problems, who would be potentially vulnerable to grooming by criminal gangs.

Justice Minister Simon Harris said this week that Gsoc had told him that it would be examining its recruitment and vetting processes, as well as looking at its structures and organisation.