“I have absolutely no malice towards Garda Harrison” – Mc Ginn

 

A senior garda who referred whistle-blower, Garda Keith Harrison to the Garda Ombudsman over a domestic dispute complaint has told the Charleton Tribunal that she has no malice towards the officer.
In October 2013 Marissa Simms, the partner of garda Harrison, made a statement to gardaí allegeing that she had received threats from Garda Harrison that he would “burn her” and “bury her”.
Ms Simms later withdrew the statement but not before it was referred to GSOC.
The current module of the Charleton Tribunal is looking at contacts between Gardai and Tusla relating to Garda Harrison.
Garda Harrison has testified that he believed the referral of a statement made by his partner, Ms Simms, to GSOC was motivated by malice towards him.
Counsel for Garda Harrison said that senior officers in Donegal were interpreting the 2005 Garda Síochana Act “beyond breaking point” at a garda conference where it was decided to refer the statement to GSOC under a section covering incidents involving death or “serious harm”.
Mark Harty SC said that Chief Superintendent Terry McGinn McGinn regarded a threat of future harm as serious harm, and in evidence earlier, Superintendent Eugene McGovern said that psychological harm on receiving a threat was grounds to refer to GSOC.
Chief Supt McGinn said her interpretation may have been wrong, but the referral to GSOC was made in good faith.
She added: “I have absolutely no malice to Garda Harrison. He is back working in my division for the past few months and I have shown no malice to him whatsoever.”