A Garda who sued his senior management over alleged bullying following the murder of Latvian woman Baiba Saulite in Co Dublin has lost his High Court action.
Dismissing Garda Declan Nyhan’s action heard over 20 days, Mr Justice Kevin Cross ruled the Garda’s complaints about certain matters did not establish bullying or harassment. It was clear there was no scapegoating of Garda Nyhan or his colleague because the Garda authorities were never attempting to cover up senior management as there was nothing to cover up, he said.
“Garda Nyhan was, I believe, at all times and still is sincere in his convictions, misplaced though they may be,” he added.
In his judgment, Mr Justice Cross said he did not accept gardaí were in possession of information of specific threats to the life of Ms Saulite. The only information of a possible threat was in the victim impact report provided by Ms Saulite before her death, he said.
That threat was not specific and, as was concluded in inquiries, no blame should attach to Garda Nyhan or his sergeant for failure to read the document. As there were no specific threats to Ms Saulite known to gardaí at senior level, there was no basis for any cover-up or scapegoating of Garda Nyhan.