Garda couple to sue force after acquittal in Limerick penalty points trial

They claim that, in an initial interview, a photograph of their young son was produced in an attempt at intimidation

Eamonn O'Neill (left) and Anne Marie Hassett (right) and three other gardaí were found not guilty of charges alleging the 'squaring' of motoring tickets this week following a 35-day trial. File picture: Brendan Gleeson

The retired superintendent and his garda wife acquitted in the Limerick garda trial this week are suing the force for, among other things, producing a photograph of their son during an interview in what was understood to be an attempt at intimidation.

Eamon O’Neill and Anne Marie Hassett have initiated a legal action based on the original arrest of Mr O’Neill in connection with an alleged offence that was shown to have no basis. 

Mr O’Neill was arrested in May 2019, along with a colleague Inspector Arthur Ryan. Both were subsequently told they had no case to answer in relation to a garda investigation in Limerick by the National Bureau of Investigation.

Following Mr O’Neill’s arrest his phone was confiscated and the contents of that phone led to the charges over alleged “squaring” of motoring tickets which ended in acquittal for the couple and three other gardaí this week following a 35-day trial.

Mr O’Neill and Sergeant Hassett claim that, in the initial interview, a photograph of their young son was produced in an attempt at intimidation.

Mick Clifford's analysis of the investigations and prosecutions in the Limerick Garda trial is published in the  Irish Examiner  on Saturday, in print and online.

The legal action was in abeyance while the recent trial was ongoing. Inspector Arthur Ryan is also pursuing a legal action based on his treatment.

The couple’s solicitor Dan O’Gorman told the Irish Examiner that the acquittal in the recent trial is only the start of the examination of the State's power that inflicted all of these events on five innocent people, including his clients.

“The unfortunate fall-out is that the State will have to pick up the pieces,” he said. “Hopefully the State will find it within itself to thoroughly examine what happened and ensure that nothing like this ever happens again.” 

Speeding detections

Meanwhile, an analysis of crime statistics in the Limerick division shows that in the five years between 2019, when this matter first arose, and 2024, there was a 30% fall off in detections for speeding.

Eight members of An Garda Síochána were suspended in relation to this investigation on suspicion of “corruption in public office” in 2020, most of whom were serving in the traffic bureau. The four serving officers who were acquitted on Monday have had their suspensions lifted but others remain suspended.

In 2019, there were 10,908 fixed charge notices issued for speeding in the division, while in 2024 there were just 7,680 during a period when the figures nationally were constant.

Legal sources in Limerick estimate that the number of prosecutions which were thrown out because they would have required the presence of the suspended gardaí in that period could “run into the thousands”.

At the conclusion of the verdicts in Monday's trial, the whole room burst into spontaneous cheering.  Among those in attendance was a large number of retired and serving gardaí. 

Among the witnesses for the defence had been retired Assistant Commissioner Fintan Fanning and retired chief superintendent Gerry Mahon.