A Midlands garda detective’s simple act of kindness during the first Covid lockdown spiralled into a national story. He loaned a dusty, unclaimed bike to a local farmer with a knee injury, and ended up suspended for more than several years, investigated by the NBCI, and facing a disciplinary board.
The farmer told of feeling “like a criminal” as officers searched his home and retrieved the €50 bicycle, leaving him stressed and traumatised. The detective was eventually cleared of all charges, but the saga didn’t end there. Now, the State has agreed to a confidential High Court settlement worth around €275,000. A judicial review over sick pay remains ongoing.
Journalist and author Paul Williams, whose latest book is Crooks 2: More Stories Behind the Headlines, joins Ciara Doherty to trace the full story behind “Bikegate,” from the spring of 2020 to today’s settlement, exploring the lessons — and lingering questions — about compassion, discretion, and disciplinary systems inside An Garda Síochána.
