Garda wiped driving slate for two judges and RTE presenter

Death and Taxes

TWO judges, a leading rugby player and a television presenter were among those who had penalty points illegally written off, a garda whistleblower has alleged.
In at least nine cases highlighted in the dossier, a motorist who had their points quashed went on to be involved in a fatal road-traffic accident.

A source told the Irish Independent: "What the material suggests is that this is a cultural issue within the force – something that has become custom and practice over the years, but is only now coming to light."



http://www.independent.ie/national-news/garda-wiped-driving-slate-for-two-judges-and-rte-presenter-3309822.html

If this is true, and I for one suspect that it is, it just shows that culture of endemic corruption in the Gardai remains unabated!

Red Crow

Corruption just like in any other job.

seamus

I think if quashing penalty points is the worst form of corruption that the media can find in the Gardai, then we're not in a bad place at all.

MagicMarker

Why does a Garda even have this ability?

Pottler

MagicMarker wrote: »

Why does a Garda even have this ability?

What's that, the ability to use a computer? Bit hard to neuter it out of them in Templemore probably.

kneemos

Never heard of much or any corruption in the Gardi.

sparksfly

seamus wrote: »

I think if quashing penalty points is the worst form of corruption that the media can find in the Gardai, then we're not in a bad place at all.

True, but a tolerence of corruption on any level by us in our lawmakers and lawkeepers eventually drags us down.
We allowed it to fester in our regulation and planning sectors with disasterous results.

Cianos

seamus wrote: »

I think if quashing penalty points is the worst form of corruption that the media can find in the Gardai, then we're not in a bad place at all.

Maybe correct in comparison to some other countries, but I don't see the value in being contrary in light of any type of corruption. Who's to say that this is the worst form of corruption within the Gardai in any case?

Odysseus

Wrong of course, but things like this are going to happen, its not the end of the world. Things liuke this happen always did and will continue; we will never be able to wipe it out totally.

homewardbound11

MagicMarker wrote: »

Why does a Garda even have this ability?

Most gards I have encountered are a cross between hank on the movie " ME MYSELF AND IRENE" And a lot of those november tashes that are out there this month let them have their power trip. They deserve it after all.
sorry, a little touchy here after getting my last round of penalty points.

Pps.no disrespect to the movember efforts and cause. Just some of the mustaches are visuals to aid the above descriptive.

Cianos

Pottler wrote: »

What's that, the ability to use a computer? Bit hard to neuter it out of them in Templemore probably.

Surely the database infrastructure should not allow anyone to go in and edit fields. Probably assuming a lot here, but if penalty points are issued they should expire according to the date issued, and any other method of their removal should require some sort of process that is beyond the access of regular Gardai.

Abi

There used to be a time when the police of this country were friends of the church rich and powerful! Drink driving charges quashed, parking tickets ripped up, even the blind eye turned to the odd murder!

Ghandee

It starts with penalty points,

Next thing they're hiding guns and flushing a kilo of coke down the jacks for a drug dealer:pac::pac:

anncoates

Even at this nascent stage of the thread, the whataboutery about these deeds is already showing.

It's wrong whatever way you look at it. And it's not necessarily the case that a guard willing to do this couldn't be leaned on for other things.

Death and Taxes

seamus wrote: »

I think if quashing penalty points is the worst form of corruption that the media can find in the Gardai, then we're not in a bad place at all.

Nine of those who had their penalty points quashed were later involved in fatal crashes!

Death and Taxes

kneemos wrote: »

Never heard of much or any corruption in the Gardi.

Try googling Mc Brearty case!

pickarooney

WileyCoyote wrote: »

Nine of those who had their penalty points quashed were later involved in fatal crashes!

It doesn't specify that they caused them, mind.

Porkchop McGee

So what? No one has been arrested for the banks going broke. The perpetrators of religious rape and their protectors continue to go unpunished. This society has bigger problems to get its knickers twisted over.

JazzyJ

seamus wrote: »

I think if quashing penalty points is the worst form of corruption that the media can find in the Gardai, then we're not in a bad place at all.

Granted its more than 20 years ago, but the far reaching allegations of corruption continue to this day:

http://www.independent.ie/national-news/detective-hits-out-at-denial-of-fr-niall-molloy-coverup-3297163.html

Dicky Pride

seamus wrote: »

I think if quashing penalty points is the worst form of corruption that the media can find in the Gardai, then we're not in a bad place at all.

The naivety and stupidity of this post really irks me. The fact of the matter is if they can do this then they're more than likely up to a hell of a lot more. Guards in this country, for the most part, do not do a good job and most of them are arrogant, ignorant and on a 40 year long power trip.

How many times have you heard the words "Where are the guards when you really need them"?

Dicky Pride

Porkchop McGee wrote: »

So what? No one has been arrested for the banks going broke. The perpetrators of religious rape and their protectors continue to go unpunished. This society has bigger problems to get its knickers twisted over.

Dear Lord.

There's a woman living in my town who was punched in the face during a night out. But so what. There was a woman raped elsewhere. A man was beaten to within an inch of his life. But so what, another man was killed. You wouldn't be the sharpest tool in the shed, would ya Porkchop?

anncoates

Porkchop McGee wrote: »

This society has bigger problems to get its knickers twisted over.

I give up.

The person is correct that made the point that trivial matters like this just add to an overall festering of a corruption culture.

Plus no member of AGS should ever be in the postilion where they are compromised and potentially open to blackmail for a matter like this.

Porkchop McGee

Dicky Pride wrote: »

Dear Lord.

There's a woman living in my town who was punched in the face during a night out. But so what. There was a woman raped elsewhere. A man was beaten to within an inch of his life. But so what, another man was killed. You wouldn't be the sharpest tool in the shed, would ya Porkchop?

Clearly sharper than you, boss, but thanks for your effort anyway.

humanji

WileyCoyote wrote: »

Nine of those who had their penalty points quashed were later involved in fatal crashes!

How would penalty points have stopped those fatal crashes?


While not on a Serpico level, it's still good to know there's some honest Gardaí trying to force a change in their ethics. Just wondering if anything will actually come of it, though. Or is it just a slow news day and will be forgotten in tomorrow.

Wacker The Attacker

MagicMarker wrote: »

Why does a Garda even have this ability?

What they give in one hand they take away something else in another according to this thread.

Death and Taxes

Porkchop McGee wrote: »

So what? No one has been arrested for the banks going broke. The perpetrators of religious rape and their protectors continue to go unpunished. This society has bigger problems to get its knickers twisted over.

How wrong can one post be?
Three directors of Anglo alone are on bail awaiting trial, and we have lost count of the number of priests, brothers, lay teachers etc who have been convicted for abuse.
A corrupt police force should worry the citizens of any state.

Wacker The Attacker

seamus wrote: »

I think if quashing penalty points is the worst form of corruption that the media can find in the Gardai, then we're not in a bad place at all.

The problem is though, that several of these drivers went on to become involved in fatal road traffic accidents.


Immediately raising the seriousness of the situation from one of simply quashing penalty points

I know its 9 from 50,000 but no matter how you look at it thats 9 lives lost

Death and Taxes

humanji wrote: »

How would penalty points have stopped those fatal crashes?


While not on a Serpico level, it's still good to know there's some honest Gardaí trying to force a change in their ethics. Just wondering if anything will actually come of it, though. Or is it just a slow news day and will be forgotten in tomorrow.

Potentially, knowing that they were not above the law and could not act with impunity might have affected how they drive.

Itsdacraic

Ah here, almost everyone I know has gotten off with various minor traffic incidents over the years by ringing various cops they know and asking if he could have a word with the Garda that issued the fine/points etc

anncoates

People don't realize the irony of defending a bit of 'rule breaking' and nepotism by local Gardai and politicians while losing the plot over bankers and regulators.

Fair enough the scale of financial impact re: the latter is much bigger, but it's the same base culture - and the passive acceptance of same from the public - that informs both.

kincsem

50,000 cases quashed. One case would be a scandal.