A FUGITIVE former garda has been arrested in South Africa and will be flown back to Ireland on Tuesday, the South African police said last night.
The man, who is wanted by the Garda in Dublin for allegedly assaulting two women last July, was arrested earlier in the week, Capt Ivan Johnson of the South African Police Services told The Irish Times.
The former garda is not being extradited to face the charges of assault, indecent assault and damage to property against him. He will be deported as an illegal immigrant, having entered South Africa unlawfully. The initiative for his arrest and pending deportation came from the Garda Siochana, Capt Johnson said.
The 32 year old man was arrested in Cape Town, where he had been playing rugby for a local club. He was playing for the club "socially" and was not under contract as initially thought. The Garda sought his return to Ireland as soon as possible.
The man will be accompanied by two SAPS officers and handed over to the Garda in Ireland. It is not known whether the former garda has requested or had contact with Irish consular officials. The Irish Ambassador could not be contacted for comment last night.
The Director of Public Prosecutions has directed that the man be prosecuted for common assault, indecent assault and criminal damage. The direction arises from an incident at a house in Co Dublin which took place while the US aircraft carrier John F Kennedy was visiting Dun Laoghaire.
The man, who was stationed in a Border area at the time, was a guest at the house and had allegedly returned to it after drinking for three hours. Garda sources say he made a drunken advance to the wife of a US policeman who was also a guest at the house, tearing her clothing.
Another woman at the house was also allegedly assaulted. At one stage the two women fled to a room at the top of the house, which is owned by a wealthy Irish American.
The local gardai were alerted and a squad car with two officers arrived at the house. Two other Garda cars later had to be called, and eventually up to 10 officers were involved in subduing the man.
He subsequently resigned from the force and when gardai went to arrest him on foot of the DPP's directions, they found that he had left his usual address.