Three gardaí to be charged over alleged attack on young boys at Dublin golf club

The youngsters who are alleged to have been assaulted are understood to have been aged 12 to 13 at the time.

The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) made a decision on the case in recent days.

All three officers, who are understood to be based in north Dublin, are expected to appear before Dublin District Court in the coming weeks.

The alleged incident is said to have taken place at Silloge Park Golf Club in Ballymun, north Dublin, on August 13, 2021, between 5pm and 6pm.

The case, which was described as “sensitive”, was investigated by the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (Gsoc). It submitted a file to the DPP earlier this year.

Specialists who interview minors were brought in by Gsoc as part of the lengthy investigation.

CCTV played a major part in the Gsoc investigation, sources said.

It is believed the three gardaí at the centre of the case deny the allegations against them.

A Gsoc spokesman said it could not comment on the pending prosecutions in the golf course case.

“Gsoc received a referral from a garda superintendent following an incident between three young people and three plain-clothes garda members at Silloge Park Golf Club in Ballymun on the afternoon of Friday, August 13, 2021,” the spokesman said.

“The investigation was concluded in January 2023, and a file was issued to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions. Gsoc is not in a position to comment further on the case at this time.”​

At the time, Gsoc had appealed for information about the alleged incident.

Garda bosses had referred to the case to Gsoc under the Garda Síochána Act 2005.