A Donegal Garda who harassed a female sergeant has been committed to the Central Mental Hospital.
Garda Donal Maguire, 40, was found not guilty by reason of insanity this month.
The trial heard the married father of two had been diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia, which at his age was considered early onset dementia.
The jury heard he sent the married woman a Valentine’s Card, numerous emails and a friend request on Facebook despite having been warned by his superiors not to have any contact with her. He had sent the emails via the Garda Pulse system, leading to him having his access revoked.
He continued to try and contact the woman, despite giving an oral undertaking to stop his behaviour — and was ultimately transferred to another garda station.
Gda Maguire, 40, of Bundoran, had pleaded not guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court by reason of insanity to two counts of harassing the woman at a location in Dublin on dates between February and March 2012 and between August 2012 and February 2013.
The jury of nine men and three women returned a verdict of not guilty by reason of insanity following an hour of deliberations.
Two forensic psychiatrists told the trial Gda Maguire had been suffering from a mental disorder at the time and lacked the ability to form intent.