Abuser ex ‘should’ve been sacked’ from Garda force, says brave survivor as shock stats show 12 cops with barring orders
DOMESTIC abuse survivor Margaret Loftus has called on Ireland’s top cop to clarify her ex-husband’s position in the Gardai.
The Mayo woman has urged Garda Commissioner Justin Kelly to tell her if Det Garda Trevor Bolger, 48, has been sacked or quit after he was handed a suspended sentence for her assault last Friday.
Since then, Bolger has been keeping a low profile at his north Dublin home, but it is not clear if the Gardai have moved to dismiss him from the force.
In her ongoing campaign for justice, Margaret told us: “I still have not been told anything about his position — he should have been dismissed the moment he pleaded guilty to assault.
“It is actually criminal the amount of time this has taken.
“It has been six months since his plea deal and we are still none the wiser as to his current status within the Garda organisation.”
Margaret continued: “The Garda Commissioner has spoken about zero tolerance to domestic abuse, but this cannot happen if the organisation continues to stand by the man who tormented me.
“I’ll see what the Commissioner has to say about his position and I will be watching what they do very closely.
“If they don’t dismiss him I will take my protest to the Dail.”
She added: “Gardai have the power to dismiss him because he has been convicted of a criminal offence, and also because of the reputational damage he has done to the force.
“I can’t understand why this is taking so long.”
Margaret, who now works with other victims of domestic violence, also asked the Gardai to reveal how many members of the force currently have barring orders against them.
SHOCKING STATS
They have confirmed to The Irish Sun on Sunday that there are 12 cases reported to Internal Affairs in which a serving Garda is a respondent for an order issued under the Domestic Violence Act 2018.
Margaret said the public has a right to know this information, and added: “I know the trauma experienced by domestic abuse victims — we can’t have members of the Gardai who have a barring order against them responding to domestic abuse cases.
“I’d be letting down victims across Ireland if I didn’t speak out about this.”
After Bolger’s guilty plea last year, Margaret has been working closely with victims of coercive control and sexual assault.
Sonya Stokes, who was raped by her uncle Joseph ‘Nipper’ Horgan, has paid tribute to Margaret.
Sonya said: “Margaret is a remarkable woman and such a strong advocate for women who experience all levels of violence.
“A man with a badge convicted of this crime should not be treated any differently. We just can’t believe Trevor Bolger still hasn’t been dismissed.
“We are also alarmed that he walked free and that this sentence will not act as a deterrent. We call on every member in the Dail to support the rights of victims.”
SUSPENDED WITHOUT PAY
In a statement to The Irish Sun on Sunday, Gardai said the officer “in this case has been suspended without pay since December 2019”.
A rep added: “In general, the dismissal of a member of An Garda Siochana is provided for under section 51, Policing, Security and Community Safety Act 2024.
“Following the criminal conviction of a Garda, this would be further considered by An Garda Siochana under either performance proceedings, conduct proceedings or dismissal proceedings under the Policing, Security and Community Safety Act 2024.
“The above provisions apply whether or not a member of An Garda Siochana is suspended, on restricted duties or on active duty.
“The Garda Commissioner has made it clear there’s zero tolerance for domestic abuse outside and inside An Garda Siochana.”
Our latest news on Margaret comes after we told last week how Bolger was promoted to detective, despite being under investigation for attacking his ex-wife.
Brave Margaret, also an ex-cop, also had to compile her own dossier on Bolger after she was initially shunned by colleagues when she made complaints against him.
