Garda detective is 'abuser and perpetrator of domestic violence', ex-wife tells court

A garda detective has pleaded guilty to assaulting his then-wife in County Mayo in October 2012. Trevor Bolger, aged 48 and formerly attached to Ballymun Garda Station, was convicted of the assault at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. The victim, herself a member of An Garda Síochána, delivered a victim impact statement describing the lasting effects of the "protracted assault" and the impact on her career within the force. She stated that Bolger had done "his level best to destroy" her and characterised him as "an abuser and a perpetrator of domestic violence." Evidence indicated the assault occurred after Bolger became angry when his wife spoke with her family during a visit to her native Mayo. Judge Martina Baxter described the incident as egregious and characterised it as spousal abuse. She adjourned the case for sentencing in October, remanding Bolger on continuing bail pending the Probation Service's report.