A garda who looked inside the window of a women’s changing room at Clifden garda station in Co Galway has been jailed for six months, reorts RTE.
Michael Mannion, 41, of Torrena, Renvale, Co Galway, was found guilty of two counts of harassing two female colleagues at a station earlier this year.
He denied the allegations.
The offences took place on a number of dates between August and November 2019
During the hearing at Galway District Court, Judge Mary Keane said a custodial sentence was appropriate.
He said Mannion’s behaviour was persistent and bordered on obsession, reports RTE.
CCTV footage previously played in court showed Mannion climbing the steel railing outside six times to get into the women’s dressing room at Clifden Garda station.
He has been suspended from his role since an investigation into Garda abuse began.
One victim described Mannion’s behaviour as “callous and devious”.
Judge Keane found that the maximum available sentence was 12 months and, taking into account all the mitigating factors, Mannion’s previously perfect career, the potential loss of his job and the disgrace he had brought upon his family and community, the appropriate sentence was six months, reports RTE.
Two female police officers harassed by Mannion became visibly emotional as they read victim impact statements.
In her statement, a woman said that everything in her life had changed dramatically.
She said what happened was a “complete invasion of my privacy” and a “personal attack”.
She added: “It was demoralising and hugely disrespectful. Not in my wildest dreams could I have thought the accused would target another female member. When I became aware there were multiple incidents involved, it was devastating,” reports RTE.
The woman said the incidents have had a mammoth effect on her life.
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