Garda ‘was not linked by computer to abusive photo’

A GARDA accused of harassing a State solicitor could not be linked by any computer used by her to a photograph of the solicitor that was used on abusive posters, a jury has heard.

Eve Doherty, 49, a garda based in Dublin, is charged with harassing Elizabeth Howlin between September 2011 and March 2013 and making false statements claiming Ms Howlin was perverting the course of justice. On day three of the trial, former Detective Inspector Martin Cummins, now retired, showed the jury a poster which had photos of Ms Howlin and Brendan Howlin TD, a distant cousin of Elizabeth Howlin, printed on them.

The posters had been left on cars around Ms Howlin’s estate in Blackrock, Co. Dublin.

The leaflet falsely stated that Ms Howlin was a corrupt State solicitor and had interfered in the prosecution of a local family of drug dealers.

The photo of Ms Howlin used in the posters had been taken in 2007 during a meeting involving a Justice Department committee. The photo was uploaded to a website called criminalcode.ie and could only have been obtained from that website, it was heard. Detective Inspector Cummins said he got a list of IP addresses that visited the site. Michael O’Higgins SC, defending, asked if any computer connected to Ms Doherty had emerged from that list. Insp. Cummins said it had not.

It was also heard that a Garda review of CCTV of the estate road was unable to identify anyone placing the posters.

The trial continues.