Ex detective sergeant challenges dismissal in High Court

In 2017, the detective was found guilty by a jury in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court of harassing a state solicitor by sending abusive letters between September 2011 and March 2013. Ms Doherty had denied all charges.

She was acquitted by the jury of two counts of making false statements. She was sentenced to three years imprisonment but the balance of her sentence was last year suspended by the Court of Appeal.

Ms Doherty (52) of Sandyford, Dublin who has a case before the Supreme Court, now wants her dismissal overturned.

In an affidavit grounding her application before the High Court, she said she is seeking a judicial review of the Garda Commissioner’s decision and claims her rights have been allegedly breached.

Property seized seven years ago

Ms Doherty was suspended with pay in October 2013 and in August 2018, she claims her wages were stopped. She claims from August 2018 to October 2019 she was suspended without pay and claims it was without a justified explanation to herself or her solicitor.

Ms Doherty in her affidavit said documentation from the Garda Commissioner in October last year stated she had not replied to his letter requesting a submission as to why he should not sack her.

She claims she posted a submission to the Garda Commissioner in July 2019. She said her submission was sent again by email to the Commissioner but she was dismissed two days later on October 16, 2019.

In the High Court today, Ms Doherty told the court she also wanted property returned to her including laptops which she said had been seized by Gardaí seven years ago. She also said she was seeking reinstatement until her case before the Supreme Court is finalised.

Mr Justice Charles Meenan told Ms Doherty to put the Garda Commissioner on notice of the application. The case will come back before the court at a later date.