A CYCLIST WHO gave helmet camera footage to gardaí of drivers using their phones and parking illegally was issued with a fixed penalty notice after the footage showed the cyclist cycling through a red light, the annual GSOC report shows.
The case, under ‘Investigations on the Foot of Complaints’ to the Garda Siochana Ombudsman Commission (GSOC) is one case study highlighted in the 2023 GSOC annual report.
The complainant was a regular cyclist who used a helmet camera while travelling on their bike.
He alleged that he had frequently witnessed drivers using their phones and parking illegally and had reported numerous incidents to the Garda traffic watch phone line.
The cyclist stated that he had given a garda a statement and video footage of one such incident, and complained to the Ombudsman that the case had not been taken up.
Following this, the complainant was advised by the garda member that the footage showed him cycling through a red light, and that he was to be issued with a fixed penalty notice.
The complainant asked the member if the other drivers that appear to be committing traffic offences in the same video would be prosecuted.
The complainant alleged that they were advised to submit their questions in writing.
They did so, however they received no response or acknowledgement.
An unsupervised Garda disciplinary investigation was commenced under s94(1) of the Act. The investigation found that the member was in breach of disciplinary regulations (neglect of duty) for failure to respond to correspondence without sufficient cause.
A sanction of advice was applied. The member appealed this finding to a Garda Chief Superintendent, who quashed the finding, ruling it disproportionate.
The report reveals that last year, a total of 1,577 complaints were opened which was a 14pc decrease on the 2022 total of 1,826.
With reporting by Emma Hickey
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