Gardaí have lost documents relating to the drink-driving arrest of former Republic of Ireland soccer star Niall Quinn, it emerged today.
The 39-year-old, who had a long career in the Premiership with Arsenal, Manchester City and Sunderland, was arrested on suspicion of drunk driving last week on the M50 motorway in Dublin.
A garda spokesman said today that an internal investigation was underway after some of the documents in the case went missing.
"These documents were not important for the prosecution. The case will still go ahead," he said.
Although the missing documents are believed to include police notes, gardaí have said that they still have two copies of the printout from the machine used to breathalyse Mr Quinn and the custody record of his time at Blanchardstown Garda station in Dublin.
Mr Quinn had been returning from a charity golf outing in Ardee, Co Louth last Friday and was arrested after a call to Garda by another motorist.
He has said was gutted by his actions and is "deeply sorry" for what he has done.
"It is something I regret greatly, but I was so confident that I didn't have too much drink taken, that's why I drove."
He said he had only drunk a "couple of pints" and was only a quarter of a pint over the limit, of 80 milligrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of blood.
"I only had a couple of pints and I think I was something like a quarter of a pint over. I am gutted about it, to be honest."
"The garda actually said to me that it was the last sip I took that put me over but obviously I regret it," he said.
Mr Quinn has said that he is prepared to take whatever punishment comes his way following his arrest.
PA