Exposed another Garda, William Doyle involved in assault, PCJ, & perjury etc

 Exposed another Garda, William Doyle involved in assault, PCJ, & perjury etc

Garda Sergeant William Doyle accused of assaulting suspect in Waterford Garda Station

Well done to this young garda for exposing him If only more gardai were like her exposing senior garda thugs

https://www.irishexaminer.com/news/courtandcrime/arid-41388376.html

Waterford District Court heard details of a dispute between gardaí over claims that a Garda sergeant pressured a junior colleague to make a 'false entry' on Waterford Garda Station's custody register

A garda has told a court how she "didn't feel right" making a "false" record after her sergeant colleague allegedly assaulted a suspect who was in custody.

Waterford District Court heard details of a dispute between gardaí over claims that a Garda sergeant pressured a junior colleague to make a "false entry" on Waterford Garda Station's custody register, following an alleged altercation involving the sergeant and a suspect.

Garda Rachel Pratt told the district court on Friday that it "didn't feel right" when she allegedly neglected to record the incident involving the senior officer, who was also her supervisor at the time.

Garda Pratt alleged that Sgt William Doyle told her not to "mention" an incident in the fingerprinting room in which he allegedly assaulted the suspect at the station in Ballybricken, Waterford city.

Garda Pratt said she was told to record that the suspect, a man in his 20s who had been arrested earlier that morning, had become "aggressive" and Sgt Doyle had tried to restrain him.

The court also heard evidence from two other gardaí, one who claimed that after Sgt Doyle and the man in custody had exchanged "snide remarks" inside the room, the sergeant told the guards — "give me two secs there lads".

Both gardaí told the court they stepped outside the room, but went back in shortly after hearing the sound of "furniture moving" and "pushing" followed by shouts from the suspect accusing the sergeant of assault.

Sgt Doyle accused of two charges

Prosecuting barrister David Perry told Judge John O'Leary that Sgt William Doyle is accused of two charges.

One is a Section 2 assault against the man in custody, under the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act, and one of attempting to pervert the course of justice by allegedly requesting no record be taken.

On foot of an investigation by the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (Gsoc) and a prosecution by the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), it is alleged that Sgt Doyle assaulted a suspect in Waterford Garda Station on March 9, 2022.

Sgt Doyle is fully contesting all charges.

Evidence was given to the court relating to the two alleged incidents.

Garda Pratt was the member in charge for the station and its prisoners from 7am on the day when she said she heard a "commotion" and went to a nearby room.

She allegedly witnessed her supervisor, Sgt Doyle, "pinning" the man against the window of the AFIS [automated fingerprint identification system] where suspects have their fingerprints taken.

Garda Pratt told the court she was a probation garda at the time after graduating 14 months earlier.

Man in custody alleged assault had occurred

She told the court that as she and the man in custody left the room, she heard the sound of a 'slap' behind her. 

She said she wasn't sure what had caused the sound but heard the man in custody allege that it had been Sgt Doyle assaulting him.

Garda Pratt said the man moved to the custody area down the hall, where she claims another incident took place.

Garda Pratt told the court that Sgt Doyle had pushed the man "using his chest". 

Both men were shouting at each other. 

She recalled seeing the sergeant "make a fist with his right hand and swing for the man". 

She did not know if he made contact as there was a wall obstructing her view.

"I was taken back by the whole thing," she said. 

I then went into Sgt Doyle, in the sergeant's office as he was my supervisor at the time, to try and figure out what had happened. 

"I then asked, I suppose 'what do I do', but how do I carry on from this, as in from the altercation that's after happening, and what I'm after witnessing," she said

She claims Sgt Doyle said not to mention what happened in the AFIS room.

She said Sgt Doyle told her to maintain he was walking past the custody area when the man "became aggressive and he [Doyle] entered the custody area to restrain him".

This information was entered into the station's custody record register by Garda Pratt at 11.05am.

"I didn't feel right doing it, but I did it," she said.

She later told Gsoc that she was in shock following the incident and had "doubt" in her mind as she made the first entry.

Her statement was read out in court.

"I didn't really know what to do," she told the Ombudsman.

I was basically like, what the fuck happened.

Sgt Doyle's barrister David Staunton said the senior garda never made a request to Garda Pratt to alter the entry into the custody record.

Mr Staunton also pointed to Garda Pratt confirming that she never actually saw any alleged assault between the two men. 

He said that Sgt Doyle had a "legal entitlement" to respond with proportionate force if he was facing threats.

Judge O'Leary said he would hear the remaining evidence next month before arriving at a conclusion.

This will include evidence from Sgt Doyle and the Gsoc investigator for the case.