Sergeant guilty of assault in Waterford
Garda Sergeant William Doyle was convicted on charges of assault and an attempt to pervert the course of justice.
Garda Sergeant William Doyle has been convicted on charges of assault and an attempt to pervert the course of justice.
Sgt Doyle (52) was found guilty of assaulting Scott Delahunty on the morning of March 9, 2022, in the AFIS (Automated Fingerprint Identification System) room of Waterford Garda Station.
He was also convicted of attempting to pervert the course of justice by advising junior Garda Rachel Pratt, who was under his supervision at the time, to not include the assault in the Garda custody record.
The case had been taken by the Garda Ombudsman (GSOC) on behalf of the Director of Public Prosecutions.
Sgt Doyle appeared at Waterford District Court on Friday morning, July 5, 2024, before Judge John O’Leary.
He had last appeared in early June to give his testimony to the Court.
In the early hours of March 9, 2022, Scott Delahunty was arrested on the Quays in Waterford City, on suspicion of Section 3 assault.
He was conveyed to Waterford Garda Station.
At 7am, Garda Rachel Pratt began duty as the Garda member in charge, overseeing the custody of prisoners.
Shortly after 7am, she called a doctor to examine Delahunty. The doctor declared him unfit for questioning.
At around 11am, Garda Sean Lane and Garda Darren Colfer brought Delahunty to the AFIS room.
Sgt Doyle soon entered the room and asked Delahunty if he was the man who assaulted his own girlfriend.
Delahunty later admitted in his own evidence that he accrued two convictions for assaulting a woman he was in a relationship with.
In the AFIS room, Delahunty shouted a "torrent of abuse" at Sgt Doyle, which was confirmed by the two other officers: “He called me a fat c**t, bastard and said he'd have my job.”
Sgt Doyle told the court that he tried to calm the suspect down, saying to the officers; "Two secs lads," at which they left the room.
Garda Lane and Garda Colfer told the court that they understood the remark as an order by a senior officer.
Garda Lane said previously in court: “He’s a Sergeant, I’m a Guard.”
It was stated in court that the door to the AFIS room was normally left open.
Garda Pratt heard the commotion and went in the direction of the noise. She saw Garda Lane and Garda Colfer standing outside the room, with the door closed over but not shut.
When she opened the door she saw Sgt Doyle standing over Delahunty, pressing his forearm into his neck/shoulder area.
Sgt Doyle stepped away from Delahunty, but when Garda Pratt turned her back she heard the sound of "skin on skin" slap, followed by Delahunty stating that Sgt Doyle had struck him in the face.
Garda Pratt later went to Sgt Doyle about the incident, wherein he told her not to include the incident in the record.
She said that she "didn’t feel right" omitting the assault from the record.
Judge O’Leary said that Sgt Doyle’s action “led her into a trap of falsifying record, which she did”.
Garda Pratt was brought to a "high-level meeting" at the station with several Inspector Gardaí regarding the incident.
Sgt Doyle denied assaulting Delahunty and claimed that he was acting in a "defensive" manner as per his training.
He also denied advising Garda Pratt to omit the incident from the record, claiming to have informed her: "I can't but words in your mouth but this matter needs to be recorded."
Judge O'Leary praised Garda Pratt for her “very honest evidence” over the incidents: “She knew something wrong had happened and was concerned. She gave a very honest account of what happened.”
Scott Delahunty gave a Victim Impact Statement outlining how the assault had affected his life.
It read: “I feel anxious all the time when Gardaí are around. I thank the Guard who helped me that night.”
Defence counsel David Staunton BL informed Judge O’Leary that Sgt Doyle has served in the Garda Síochána for nearly 30 years and had an exemplary record before the assault.
Mr Staunton highlighted his work as a Family Liaison Officer.
“He had a well-publicised role as a Family Liaison Officer in the case against (convicted child abuser) Bill Kenneally.”
Mr Staunton also added that Sgt Doyle had given his support as a FLO during a "tragedy in Dunmore earlier this year".
On the assault Mr Staunton referred to it as an "extraordinarily out-of-character incident" that came after Sgt Doyle faced a "barrage" of verbal abuse from Delahunty.
“He should have rose above that,” Mr Staunton said.
He stressed that the incident has effectively ended Sgt Doyle’s career with An Garda Síochána, and that the conviction will mean the immediate loss of his job.
Judge O’Leary sentenced Sgt Doyle to 80 hours of community service in lieu of a four months custodial sentence.
