A 32 year old woman was pulled out of the sea last weekend here. Sheâd gone in with a backpack of rocks / stones to ensure she sank 
The irony of it is that because of the extra weight her body didnât resurface and get washed miles up or down the coast. She was found close to the exact spot she went in. It saved her family what would have been a potential long search, not that it really helps. Horrific stuff.
Very sad case here. GSOC donât exactly come out smelling of roses.
[SIZE=5]The Garda Ombudsman has launched an internal review after a garda sergeant took his own life not knowing he had been cleared days earlier of any wrongdoing following a formal investigation.[/SIZE]
Gda Sgt Michael Galvin told friends he feared he would go to jail and in the early hours of last Thursday he used a garda issue handgun to take his own life at Ballyshannon Garda Station in Co Donegal.
The Garda SĂochĂĄna Ombudsman Commission (GSOC) admitted to the Irish Independent last night that Sgt Galvin had in fact been cleared of any wrongdoing five days earlier but a formal letter confirming this had not been issued.
Senior gardaĂ are to meet Ombudsman staff today about the case. There is considerable anger within the force.
Widow Colette Galvin got a standing ovation from hundreds of gardaĂ and friends as she spoke at the funeral of husband Gda Michael Galvin where she described the investigation as âhorrendousâ.
Friends and colleagues wept at St Clareâs Church in Manorhamilton, Co Leitrim as Colette Galvin recalled her life with her husband and their three children.
âMick was a great, loving and caring man - a rock,â she said.
"He was a man who loved his job. I was introduced to him in Tuffâs Night Club in Sligo in October 1997 when he was the captain of the Sligo football and hurling teams. He was my Roy Keane.
"I often asked him which of his achievements he was most proud of and he always pointed to our three children.
âHe gave his life to the job and I hope that after today all decent and honest members of An Garda SĂochĂĄna will be allowed to do their jobs without horrendous and unnecessary investigations by GSOC.â
Mourners which included Deputy Commissioner Kieran Kenny responded with a three-minute standing ovation.
Sgt Galvin was being investigated as a result of a fatal road traffic incident in Ballyshannon in the early hours of New Yearâs day this year.
Sheena Stewart (33), from Letterkenny, died when she was struck by a minibus taxi in the town.
Sgt Galvin had driven past Ms Stewart earlier that morning on his way to investigate a hit-and-run incident outside the south Donegal town.
When asked if he had seen Ms Stewart, he had told Ombudsman investigators that he believed he had seen her standing on a footpath in Ballyshannon.
CCTV footage however showed she had been standing at the edge of the road when the garda patrol car passed her.
Friends say Sgt Galvin was then interviewed under caution. He later told them that he may face a criminal charge of attempting to pervert the course of justice.
Sgt Galvin had an exemplary record and was widely known in GAA circles having managed the Sligo hurling team. More than 2,500 people attended his funeral on Sunday, many of them from GAA clubs in Sligo, Leitrim and Donegal.
GSOC confirmed in a statement to the Irish Independent that Sgt Galvin would not have faced any charges, a spokesperson saying: "This decision was reached ten days ago but a letter confirming this (to Sgt Galvin) had not been issued.
âWe are conducting an internal review of all the circumstances of the case.â
[QUOTE=âthedancingbaby, post: 1152201, member: 48â]Very sad case here. GSOC donât exactly come out smelling of roses.
[SIZE=5]The Garda Ombudsman has launched an internal review after a garda sergeant took his own life not knowing he had been cleared days earlier of any wrongdoing following a formal investigation.[/SIZE]
Gda Sgt Michael Galvin told friends he feared he would go to jail and in the early hours of last Thursday he used a garda issue handgun to take his own life at Ballyshannon Garda Station in Co Donegal.
The Garda SĂochĂĄna Ombudsman Commission (GSOC) admitted to the Irish Independent last night that Sgt Galvin had in fact been cleared of any wrongdoing five days earlier but a formal letter confirming this had not been issued.
Senior gardaĂ are to meet Ombudsman staff today about the case. There is considerable anger within the force.
Widow Colette Galvin got a standing ovation from hundreds of gardaĂ and friends as she spoke at the funeral of husband Gda Michael Galvin where she described the investigation as âhorrendousâ.
Friends and colleagues wept at St Clareâs Church in Manorhamilton, Co Leitrim as Colette Galvin recalled her life with her husband and their three children.
âMick was a great, loving and caring man - a rock,â she said.
"He was a man who loved his job. I was introduced to him in Tuffâs Night Club in Sligo in October 1997 when he was the captain of the Sligo football and hurling teams. He was my Roy Keane.
"I often asked him which of his achievements he was most proud of and he always pointed to our three children.
âHe gave his life to the job and I hope that after today all decent and honest members of An Garda SĂochĂĄna will be allowed to do their jobs without horrendous and unnecessary investigations by GSOC.â
Mourners which included Deputy Commissioner Kieran Kenny responded with a three-minute standing ovation.
Sgt Galvin was being investigated as a result of a fatal road traffic incident in Ballyshannon in the early hours of New Yearâs day this year.
Sheena Stewart (33), from Letterkenny, died when she was struck by a minibus taxi in the town.
Sgt Galvin had driven past Ms Stewart earlier that morning on his way to investigate a hit-and-run incident outside the south Donegal town.
When asked if he had seen Ms Stewart, he had told Ombudsman investigators that he believed he had seen her standing on a footpath in Ballyshannon.
CCTV footage however showed she had been standing at the edge of the road when the garda patrol car passed her.
Friends say Sgt Galvin was then interviewed under caution. He later told them that he may face a criminal charge of attempting to pervert the course of justice.
Sgt Galvin had an exemplary record and was widely known in GAA circles having managed the Sligo hurling team. More than 2,500 people attended his funeral on Sunday, many of them from GAA clubs in Sligo, Leitrim and Donegal.
GSOC confirmed in a statement to the Irish Independent that Sgt Galvin would not have faced any charges, a spokesperson saying: "This decision was reached ten days ago but a letter confirming this (to Sgt Galvin) had not been issued.
"We are conducting an internal review of all the circumstances of[/QUOTE]
Why was he interviewed under caution? Was his description not accurate?
You have to be cautioned beforehand for any interview notes to be admissible in court
the police point scoring here
ouch-GSOC clamping the guards
maybe the pigs should be looking into what failures they had that allowed a staff member to kill himself
REGARDING THE DEATH OF A GARDA MEMBER IN DONEGAL ON 28 MAY 2015
Date: 2nd June 2015
There have been media reports about the death of Sergeant Michael Galvin in Donegal last week. We believe that it is important to clarify matters in relation to the GSOC investigation into his death and his involvement with GSOC prior to his death.
Sergeant Galvin is not, nor was he ever, the subject of a complaint to GSOC.
The sergeant was interviewed in the context of a fatal incident on 1 January 2015, which was referred by the Garda SĂochĂĄna to GSOC for investigation, because the law provides for GSOC to investigate, where there has been garda contact with a person prior to death or serious harm occurring. This is a routine occurrence and it should not be automatically assumed that there is garda misconduct in such cases that are referred to GSOC.
Sergeant Galvin was interviewed about the incident on the afternoon of 20th May.
GSOCâs investigation concluded the following week and found no evidence of a criminal offence or a breach of discipline by any garda member. It is unusual that GSOC would share its findings at this point in the process, but given these exceptional circumstances we believe that it is appropriate.
GSOC does not make a decision as to whether either criminal charges or disciplinary sanctions are brought against a person; our role is to conduct an investigation and forward the file to the DPP, where appropriate, and to the Garda Commissioner, for decision. This is the stage that case is at: the investigation has concluded and a file is being prepared for the DPP, which is normal where the original incident involved a fatality. It is standard procedure that all garda members affected and the Garda Authorities would be updated to this effect. They would later be updated as to the decision of the DPP.
We are satisfied that our interaction with Sergeant Galvin during the investigation was proportionate and reasonable. Nevertheless, in light of what has happened and of the concerns of his family, we will be arranging a peer review of the investigation.
The current investigation into his death, which was also referred to GSOC by the Garda SĂochĂĄna, will also be subject to peer review, given that this agency was in contact with Sergeant Galvin prior to his death.
GSOC has reciprocal arrangements in place with other police oversight bodies for such eventualities and we believe that this is the most appropriate review mechanism in these circumstances.
We wish to extend our deepest sympathies to Sergeant Galvinâs family, friends and colleagues at this very sad time.
GSOC have blood on their hands. Simple as.
A father of 3 young kids man is dead because of them.
Anyway enough of a poor man feeling there was no way out because of their actions. Thereâs much more important things going on like Denis OâBrienâs relationship with IBRC :rolleyes:
[QUOTE=âthedancingbaby, post: 1153631, member: 48â]GSOC have blood on their hands. Simple as.
A father of 3 young kids man is dead because of them.
Anyway enough of a poor man feeling there was no way out because of their actions. Thereâs much more important things going on like Denis OâBrienâs relationship with IBRC :rolleyes:[/QUOTE]
Unless GSOC gave a clearly strained (according to AGSI) man unfettered access to the weapons cabinet then they donât. This will backfire spectacularly on AGSI.
I believe that since 2009 5 gardai have killed themselves with garda weapons, thatâs clearly a failing of AGS
[QUOTE=âthedancingbaby, post: 1153631, member: 48â]GSOC have blood on their hands. Simple as.
A father of 3 young kids man is dead because of them.
Anyway enough of a poor man feeling there was no way out because of their actions. Thereâs much more important things going on like Denis OâBrienâs relationship with IBRC :rolleyes:[/QUOTE]
Bollox, the guards playing politics here. A bit rash to top yourself when you know youâve done nothing wrong.
GSOC are definitely being duplicitous here, two days ago their boss was saying this;
"Speaking on RTĂâs Morning Ireland, Mr Fitzgerald said the sergeantâs death had been referred to GSOC by the Garda Commissioner last week.
He said that on 27 May the watchdog had concluded its investigation into the allegations concerning Sgt Galvin and had found no evidence to support wrongdoing."
But now itâs saying they werenât investigating him at all?
[QUOTE=âthedancingbaby, post: 1153631, member: 48â]GSOC have blood on their hands. Simple as.
A father of 3 young kids man is dead because of them.
Anyway enough of a poor man feeling there was no way out because of their actions. Thereâs much more important things going on like Denis OâBrienâs relationship with IBRC :rolleyes:[/QUOTE]
?
an employee of the policeforce, used a police weapon to kill himself while on duty.
massive H&S failings there
[QUOTE=âRaylan, post: 1153693, member: 2891â]GSOC are definitely being duplicitous here, two days ago their boss was saying this;
"Speaking on RTĂâs Morning Ireland, Mr Fitzgerald said the sergeantâs death had been referred to GSOC by the Garda Commissioner last week.
He said that on 27 May the watchdog had concluded its investigation into the allegations concerning Sgt Galvin and had found no evidence to support wrongdoing."
But now itâs saying they werenât investigating him at all?[/QUOTE]
where is it saying that there wasnât an investigation ?
if anyone is being duplicitious itâs that ginger cunt in AGSI
[QUOTE=âartfoley, post: 1153707, member: 179â]where is it saying that there wasnât an investigation ?
if anyone is being duplicitious itâs that ginger cunt in AGSI
[/QUOTE]
Bet youâd rather be ginger than a slaphead 
hell no, Iâm slap head and proud
[SIZE=5]Rank and file gardaĂ are demanding a complete overhaul of the Garda Ombudsmanâs office after it emerged Gda Sgt Michael Galvin thought he was going to jail for up to five years.[/SIZE]
Justice Minister Frances Fitzgerald was briefed by garda colleagues yesterday that Sgt Galvin had told his wife about his fears of a jail sentence on the day he was interviewed under caution by GSOC.
That occurred on May 20. Sgt Galvin took his own life at Ballyshannon Garda Station in Co Donegal eight days later.
It has since emerged he had been cleared of any wrongdoing by the GSOC inquiry days before his death but no-one had told him.
The Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors (AGSI) gave details of the case to Minister Fitzgerald in the DĂĄil yesterday.
The associationâs leader, John Redmond, has demanded that GSOC end its investigation into Sgt Galvinâs death and asked the minister to set up an independent judicial inquiry into all matters including the fatal road crash on January 1 which sparked the GSOC inquiry in the first place.
GSOC has refused a request to stand down from its inquiry into Sgt Galvinâs death despite a request from his widow Collette. It has now also extended its original investigation.
GardaĂ in Ballyshannon arenât allowed to speak out, but friends say they are âraging madâ and also want a review by a High Court or Supreme Court judge.
Mr Redmond said: âWe appreciate the minister met with us and listened to what we had to say on the situation as we know it at this stage.
âHowever, we believe there is no confidence whatsoever in GSOC continuing their investigations.
âWe need to know why Sgt Galvin came away from a cautioned interview with GSOC to tell his wife he believed he was going to jail for five years when GSOC completely exonerated him a few days later.â
The Garda Representative Association, which represents 10,000 gardaĂ, also backed calls for a judicial review.
âGarda colleagues in the North West, and nationwide, are dismayed that GSOC be regarded as an appropriate agency to investigate the death of Sgt Michael Galvin, who was highly regarded by those gardaĂ who had the honour of working with him,â they said.
Itâs a bit rich for Gardai to be complaining about someone being threatened with being sent to jail for a long time.
Itâs fairly disgusting that the Gardai would use the death of one of their colleagues to score points against GSOC in this manner
[QUOTE=âFran, post: 1153728, member: 110â]Itâs fairly disgusting that the Gardai would use the death of one of their colleagues to score points against GSOC in this manner
[/QUOTE]
Even when GSOC are partially responsible for said death ?
i think the pigs have a lot more responsibility mate