Crime & Law

Garda sergeant accused of false imprisonment of woman, perverting course of justice and burglary in Dublin

Investigation has been ongoing since 2021 into allegations made against several gardaí in same unit

Sergeant Ciaran Whelan leaving the Criminal Courts of Justice in Dublin where he was charged with several charges including burglary. Photograph: Collins Courts
Sergeant Ciaran Whelan leaving the Criminal Courts of Justice in Dublin where he was charged with several charges including burglary. Photograph: Collins Courts
Tom Tuite
Tue Mar 19 2024 - 12:55

A Garda sergeant is to stand trial accused of false imprisonment of a woman, perverting the course of justice and burglary in Dublin.

The Garda Anti-Corruption Unit has been investigating the activities of a particular Garda unit based in the Dublin region. It has led to the arrest of four officers currently suspended from duty.

Ciaran Whelan (51), with an address at Nenagh, Co Tipperary, who has worked out of the detective unit in Store Street Garda station in central Dublin, was arrested earlier this month and charged.

He had been given station bail to appear before Judge William Aylmer at Dublin District Court on Tuesday.

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He faces seven charges concerning alleged offences from June 19th until September 27th, 2021.

He is accused of false imprisonment of a named woman at St John’s Road West, Dublin 8, on September 7th.

It is alleged he did acts to pervert the course of public justice by making a false report between August 25th and September 15th to a named Garda Superintendent regarding a search of a male’s flat on Kenilworth Road, Dublin 6, on June 19th. He is charged with burglary at that flat by entering it as a trespasser to commit a theft offence.

He is also accused of perverting the course of justice on September 27th by amending data on the Garda Pulse System, about two incidents.

He is accused of twice perverting the course of public justice on August 28th, by allegedly creating and printing a search warrant and information for a search that occurred on June 19th at the flat in Kenilsworth Road, Dublin, 6. It is further alleged that on the same date he created an incident on the Garda Pulse system in relation to that search.

It is alleged on September 7th, he trespassed at a basement flat at Mountjoy Square, North, Dublin 1, to commit theft.

The defendant, dressed in dark blue jeans, a navy jumper, and a black jacket, stood silently throughout his brief hearing and did not indicate how he would plead.

Garda Inspector Tom Cooney told the court that the defendant was arrested on the morning of March 11th at Irishtown Garda station for the purpose of being charged. Judge Aylmer heard that the accused “made no reply to any charge”.

Inspector Cooney said the DPP directed “trial on indictment”.

This means the case will be dealt with in the Circuit Court, which, on conviction, has wider sentencing powers.

Defence solicitor Andrew Freeman said there was consent to an eight-week adjournment.

Judge Aylmer remanded the accused to appear again at the District Court on May 17th to be served with a book of evidence and returned for trial.

He is the second person to come before the courts since the investigation commenced.

Garda Mark Duffy (39), also appeared at Dublin District Court last week.

The Dublin-based Garda is accused of doing an act between August 28th and December 20th, 2021, intending to pervert the course of public justice.

The officer is also accused of burglary. In this offence, he is alleged to have entered the same Kenilworth Road flat as a trespasser on June 19th, 2021, to commit an arrestable offence.

He has not yet indicated a plea. He is also back in court on May 17th to be served with a book of evidence.