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Alleged negative briefings on McCabe not put in writing, Taylor tells tribunal

Summary

In a Charleton tribunal hearing, former Garda press officer Superintendent David Taylor testified that he no longer believes whistleblower Sergeant Maurice McCabe was motivated by revenge when raising concerns about Garda conduct in the Cavan-Monaghan district and abuses of the penalty points system. Taylor said he had been instructed by former Commissioner Martin Callinan to brief the media negatively on McCabe, claiming McCabe sought revenge after a 2007 investigation into alleged sexual abuse by Miss D, which the Director of Public Prosecutions had found no evidence of wrongdoing. Taylor maintained that the negative briefings were not documented in writing but were delivered as off‑the‑record conversations. He admitted that after his suspension from the Garda Service he realised the briefings were wrong, regardless of their truth. Taylor also denied that he had sent text messages to journalists and said he had not created a media narrative to portray himself as unfairly targeted.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Alleged negative briefings on McCabe not put in writing, Taylor tells tribunal. Procedural stage: hearing_or_decision

When:

• September 2016 Other
• February 2014 Other
• 2018-05-15 Publication

Why: This was that Sgt McCabe wanted revenge because he had been investigated over sexual abuse allegations. CNI source report

Places mentioned

Topics

Sexual Offences Stage Hearing Or Decision

Read the original CNI report