Cork judges express condolences to family of Dublin Garda killed in the line of duty

Condolences were expressed today at the Criminal Courts of Justice in Cork to the family of Garda Kevin Flatley who was killed while conducting speed checks in north County Dublin.

Judge Helen Boyle extended on behalf of the herself and Judges Sinead Behan and Dermot Sheehan at Cork Circuit Criminal Court, her sincere condolences to the family of Garda Flatley who was killed in the course of his duty yesterday.

In particular, Judge Boyle sympathised with the late Garda Flatley’s wife, Una, and their two daughter and to the wider Garda family. The judge said she had no doubt that yesterday was a very difficult day for the brotherhood and sisterhood of the force as it was for the whole country.

She sympathised with Chief Superintendent Tom Myers of An Garda Síochána in Cork and to members of the force in this area.

Judge Boyle was joined in this expression of sympathies by barrister Brendan Kelly on behalf of the Cork Bar, state solicitor Frank Nyhan on behalf solicitors, Gerardine O’Leary registrar on behalf of Court Service, and Detective Garda Padraig Harrington on behalf of the Garda Representative Association.

There was a brief adjournment as judges from the circuit court as well as from Cork District Court visited Anglesea Street garda station to sign a book of condolences.

Garda Flatley, who lived in Balbriggan, and who was based at the roads policing unit at Dublin Castle, suffered fatal injuries when he was struck by a motorbike while conducting speed checks in north county Dublin.

He had almost 26 years of dedicated service to An Garda Síochána, including in community policing in Blanchardstown, in Pearse St, and in roads policing for the last seven years. He was conducting speed checks on the R132 in Lanestown, close to Blake’s Cross in Lusk on Sunday, and was standing beside his marked garda car pointing a speed gun along what is a straight stretch of the old N1, when he was struck by a high-powered motorbike just before lunchtime. Emergency services attended, but he was pronounced dead at the scene.

The motorcyclist, a man in his 30s, and the owner of the bike, was taken by ambulance to Beaumont Hospital for treatment where his condition was understood to be serious.