A Garda told detectives from the National Bureau of Criminal Investigation (GNBCI) that he had "definitely not" perverted the course of justice in relation to a potential road traffic offence after he was contacted by a superintendent who asked if the case was "sortable".
A jury has been shown a video of an interview with Garda Colm Geary, which was recorded at Mayorstone Garda Station in Limerick where he met the detectives from the GNBCI by arrangement on 8 October 2019.
Garda Geary is one of four gardaí and a retired superintendent charged with engaging in conduct tending and intended to pervert the course of justice contrary to common law on dates between October 2016 and September 2019.
Garda Geary, based at Ennis Garda Station, has pleaded not guilty to three charges in the case.
During the interview, detectives asked Garda Geary about phone calls and text messages he had received from Superintendent Eamon O'Neill, who is also a defendant in the trial.
A series of WhatsApp messages was shown to the jury which included an image of a court summons in relation to an alleged speeding offence in Clare, sent by Supt O’Neill to Garda Geary.
Garda Geary replied, "Rang that lad. He’s away for the week. He reckons he has all his cases adjourned until December. He will strike that out no bother".
A text message from Supt O’Neill following up on the matter, read, "Any hope", to which Garda Geary replied, "Text him, I’ll let ya know".
"What’s he like?" Supt O’Neill asked by text. "He’s straight enough but worked on the unit with him."
The next day, the superintendent messaged Garda Geary, "Any luck with that lad?"
Garda Geary said his garda colleague had not got back to him, but he would try to track him down.
Another text from Garda Geary informed Supt O’Neill that the motorist had been "sorted" and the incident "didn’t go in the system either".
"You’re a topper," Supt O’Neill replied.
When questioned by the GNBCI detectives, Garda Geary said he understood from the messages he received from Eamon O’Neill that the superintendent wanted him to contact his colleague who had issued the fixed charge penalty notice.
"It came from a superintendent," Garda Geary told detectives. "I made contact with the guard on his behalf.
"I know I’m repeating myself. He was a superintendent, I knew that’s what he was implying and I didn’t ask any questions about it.
"I did as instructed," Garda Geary said.
He told the officers that at the time he didn’t think there was anything wrong with a superintendent intervening or striking out cases in the district court.
Former garda superintendent Eamon O'Neill, Sergeant Anne Marie Hassett, Sergeant Michelle Leahy, Garda Tom McGlinchey and Garda Colm Geary have pleaded not guilty to a total of 39 offences of engaging in conduct tending and intended to pervert the course of justice contrary to common law on dates between October 2016 and September 2019.
The jury heard the detectives ask Garda Geary again if he thought what he had done amounted to perverting the course of justice, to which he replied, "I certainly didn't think so".
He was asked would he have done it if he did think it was perverting the court of justice, and Garda Geary replied, "Definitely not."
The trial continues before Judge Roderick Maguire at Limerick Circuit Court.
