Cork farmer who claims he was tasered by armed gardaí raiding his farm settles High Court action

The judge also made an order directing the Garda Commissioner to pay the innocent farmer’s legal costs

Thomas Browne alleges he was forced to the ground, which was wet with oil and water, before a taser was fired into his lower back. File photo

An innocent farmer who claimed he was tasered twice by gardaí searching for an illegal gun in Co Cork has settled a High Court action brought over the alleged incident.

Thomas Browne, aged 54, had claimed he was “unlawfully assaulted and battered and falsely imprisoned” by members of the Armed Support Unit while he was working in a shed on his farm on December 14, 2015.

He claimed gardaí did not identify themselves and acted with unnecessary force during the raid. An Garda Síochána said the operation took place, but denied any wrongdoing on behalf of Garda members.

On Monday, Garnet Orange SC, appearing for Mr Browne, told Mr Justice Tony O’Connor the case had settled and could be struck out. Mr Orange asked the judge to make an order directing the Garda Commissioner to pay his client’s legal costs.

The judge made the orders as sought.

According to court documents, Mr Browne — who has no involvement in criminality — was building a new shed with his two teenage sons and an electrician friend on the day of the raid.

He said he was in an existing shed inspecting a fuse board when the doors were pulled open and several people “stormed in with lights and started shouting and roaring”.

The lights made it impossible to identify the group and they did not identify themselves, according to Mr Browne’s statement of claim. He said he feared he was being robbed.

He alleges he was forced to the ground, which was wet with oil and water, before a taser was fired into his lower back.

Gardaí continued to shout at him before going silent as they searched the shed. Mr Browne said he raised his head to see what was happening and that he was tasered again.

It was the Garda Commissioner’s case that the unit was justified in using reasonable force as they were searching for a firearm. They denied any negligence or breach of duty and claimed Armed Support Unit members identified themselves as gardaí.

Court documents state gardaí were searching for a firearm used in an aggravated burglary two days before the raid.