A police officer in Ireland has been cleared of five disciplinary charges at an inquiry having been suspended for three years after giving one of many unclaimed bicycles at his police station to a “vulnerable and isolated” elderly man who was struggling for transport during the Covid pandemic.

The unnamed garda faced a number of possible sanctions including reprimand, a fine, a caution, or even dismissal from the force, but had “significant support” from his colleagues, his suspension pending investigation arising as he had not completed the necessary paperwork having given the bike to an “isolated” resident living in a rural area as a means of travelling to the shops during the pandemic.

The Irish Mirror reports he faced charges of discreditable conduct, disobedience, misuse of property and neglect of duty, but was cleared of any wrongdoing. Welcoming the decision, Garda Representative Association (GRA) General Secretary Ronan Slevin said the case had seen “good, decent community policing blown apart and relationships destroyed”.

“In essence I believe a sledgehammer of discipline was used to crack a nut and the reputation of a long serving member was damaged, his honesty questioned and his livelihood threatened,” he said.

Despite being described as an officer approaching retirement from an “exemplary” career, the garda involved was suspended for three years while the case was investigated — only returning to “restricted duties” since the back end of last year when he was reinstated having been found to have “no criminal case” to answer.

During the pandemic the officer had given a “vulnerable and isolated” man a bike to assist with transport to the shops as the elderly citizen’s own bicycle was no longer in working order. Having spoken with the man, the garda decided to give him an unclaimed bicycle that had been in the force’s possession for “some time previously” as nobody had come forward to claim it, often due to the fact a bike has been stolen but unclaimed (although the exact circumstances of the relevant bike in this case are not known).

> Police in Dublin find more than 100 stolen bikes worth €250,000

He was suspended and his home raided by the National Bureau of Criminal Investigation (NBCI) in front of his wife and children. The elderly man’s house was also raided.

The bike was taken from the elderly man during the raid on his home, the separate raid on the garda’s home undertaken in the presence of his family and causing “great distress”. It is reported he had “no idea” he was under investigation until the raid took place.

Mr Slevin, the GRA’s general secretary, said the case raises questions about the “disconnect between management and those on the frontline and a lack of common sense and proportionality when investigating community facing policing issues”.

“We of course welcome the panel’s decision to recommend that the Commissioner completely clears the member of any wrongdoing and look forward to the publication of the full report,” he commented.

“Unfortunately this once again shows the disconnect between management and those on the frontline and a lack of common sense and proportionality when investigating community facing policing issues.

“This has been systemic in AGS of late with a policy of ‘suspend first, ask questions later’ approach which has been instigated and overseen by garda management and supported by the commissioner. We will be raising this case and the processes involved when we meet with the Minister for Justice at her offices later today.”