Robert Hennessy was found guilty of assaulting social care worker and abuse campaigner Michael Finnegan, 40, who was repeatedly punched in the face in Cafe en Seine on Dawson Street, Dublin, on December 11, 2019
A Dublin -based garda detective, who "lost it" and carried out an unprovoked attack on a man taking pictures of him and his colleagues socialising in a bar, has avoided jail and a criminal record.
READ MORE - Garda bosses considering plan to double number of armed detectives protecting cabinet ministers The detective garda, from a unit involved in surveillance work, denied the charge but was convicted by Judge John Hughes at Dublin District Court in November. He was prosecuted following a Garda Ombudsman investigation.
Defence solicitor Elizabeth Hughes furnished the court with testimonials and outlined commendations her client had received in his 23-year unblemished career in An Garda Siochana. The judge believed that Mr Finnegan was surreptitiously observing the off-duty gardai and using his phone to take pictures or videos.
He alleged the accused chatted to him but was "under the influence" and very aggressive and that he was punched by him several times. It left him in pain and dizzy, with blood coming out of his mouth and a split lip.Cross-examined, he denied videoing and taking pictures of the Garda group, or telling them, "Youse would want to watch yourself. A group of intelligence officers on the town together, you wouldn't know what would happen to you.
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