Senior Garda Allegedly Photographed Detective Whistleblower in Court

A High Court judge has called for witnesses to come forward with information following allegations that a senior member of An Garda Síochána shared an unauthorized photograph of a whistleblower and three associates taken inside a courtroom.

The matter was brought before Mr Justice Micheál O’Higgins on Wednesday, where it was alleged that the image was distributed within a Garda WhatsApp group. According to Conor Duff, counsel for Detective Superintendent Brian O’Reilly, the photograph was shared with the apparent intent of helping members of the group “place a name to a face” regarding one of the men accompanying Supt O’Reilly.

The court heard that Supt O’Reilly became aware of the image after receiving it from another member of the force. It is alleged that the photograph originated from an account associated with Superintendent Liam White.

Under the Practice Directions and Rules of the Superior Courts, any form of audio or visual recording of court proceedings is strictly forbidden. The introduction of this evidence to the High Court highlights a potential breach of these judicial protocols.

The allegations emerge against a backdrop of internal friction involving protected disclosures. Supt O’Reilly has previously raised concerns regarding the safety of gun holsters utilized by the police force.

Mr Duff informed the court that he is putting the Commissioner of An Garda Síochána, acting as the respondent, on notice regarding the incident. While it remains unclear if other similar images were circulated within the WhatsApp group, the legal team for Supt O’Reilly has sought direction from Mr Justice O’Higgins on the appropriate procedural steps to move the matter forward.