Garda whistleblower John Wilson has described the prevalence of Garda misconduct within the force as “frightening” and said broader concerns about people “maliciously prosecuted” had to be addressed.
Mr Wilson was speaking after the resignation of Garda Commissioner Martin Callinan, which he described as the “correct decision”.
“If people thought the penalty points issue was serious – what I have heard in the last year would make the hairs stand up on the back of your neck . . . The number of people that have been maliciously prosecuted by gardaí is . . . more than frightening – it is sickening.”
Mr Wilson said Mr Callinan had done the State “some great service” throughout his career. “But his position had become untenable and his decision to resign or retire is the correct decision,” he said. “I believe Alan Shatter should go too.”
He also said Assistant Commissioner John O’Mahony should “consider his position” after the report that followed his internal investigation of the penalty points controversy. “It was basically a whitewash report.”
He criticised the Garda system of promotion, describing it as “incestuous, dysfunctional and rotten”. While he knew of other gardaí who “pulled a stroke” to get ahead, he “never went for promotion”. He said he chose not to exploit “serious political connections” he had.
