Garda sergeant guilty of sexual assault of colleague
A garda sergeant has been found guilty of sexually assaulting a female colleague in a Dublin garda station.
The sergeant, in his 40s, was convicted on two charges dating to March and June of 2010.
The probationary garda gave evidence that she froze when the sergeant put his hands on her hips, thrust his groin into her behind and said: "you like it like this."
Two garda witnesses were in the control room when the incident happened in March 2010 and they described their shock to the court.
On the stand the sergeant said the contact was accidental. He said he was trying to squeeze past the woman and he said the comment was an inappropriate way to lighten an awkward, embarrassing moment.
He denied her second accusation that he touched her breast during the nightshift in a separate incident three months later.
Judge Bridget Reilly found the touching was deliberate on both occasions. She convicted him of sexual assault and will sentence him on March 16.
