A detective garda claimed in the High Court yesterday that he was libelled in an article in the Sunday Business Post early last year in which he was not named.
Det John Doggett (51), who has been based at Crumlin Garda station, Dublin, since 1984, is suing Post Publications Ltd, trading as the Sunday Business Post, over an article on January 21st, 2001. He said in evidence that he knew the article was referring to him.
The article said gardaí were considering offering immunity from prosecution to a Dublin builder to aid their investigation into five officers in a drink-driving bribery case. Senior gardaí were worried the builder would withdraw his claims, which had implicated a uniformed officer and four detectives, it added. The report said two of those men had been handed official reports informing them they were the subjects of disciplinary procedures. In the course of the article, it was also stated that a uniformed garda who was suspended did not proceed with the charges against the builder whom he stopped for drink-driving.
The article added: "It is alleged that the other officers asked the builder for money to pay off the arresting officer, who was unaware of these contacts. The motorist was unaware they were pocketing the money themselves, sources said. The businessman made an official complaint after being asked for £20,000."
Garda Doggett told the court he had been served with Garda disciplinary papers but had been completely exonerated. Allegations made against him were false and he was cleared. It is claimed the article wrongly meant Garda Doggett demanded money from members of the public to pay off other gardaí so as to prevent prosecutions going ahead and that he took bribes. The defence denies the words could be or were taken to have referred to Garda Doggett or that he was identifiable to readers.
In evidence, Garda Doggett said that in May 2000, a man named John Tobin was arrested for drink- driving and taken to Terenure Garda Station by Garda Seamus Doherty. In December 2000, witness received a phone call from Mr Tobin saying that the garda who had arrested him had called to his home and spoken to his wife and was calling back.
Garda Doggett said that in the phone call, Mr Tobin told him certain things. He encouraged Mr Tobin to report the matter.
Mr Tobin reported it to a detective inspector and an operation was put in place which resulted in Garda Doherty being arrested after Mr Tobin handed him an envelope. Later, Det Doggett said, he was served with Garda disciplinary papers by a Garda superintendent. It was alleged he made improper representations to Garda Doherty on behalf of Mr Tobin.
Under cross-examination, Det Doggett said there were about 10 Garda stations in Dublin's southside metropolitan region, with roughly 600 gardaí. The fact that two gardaí had been handed official reports officially informing them they were the subject of disciplinary procedures was probably well-known in the division. He agreed that word of his exoneration would leak out also.
The hearing continues today.