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Laura Hutton
cleared

Superintendent David Taylor reinstated after being cleared of leaking information

“I have waited a long time for this decision to be made. It has been an incredibly stressful and difficult time for my family and myself.”

Updated 9.30.

THE FORMER HEAD of the Garda Press Office has been reinstated to An Garda Síochána after being cleared of leaking sensitive information to the media by the DPP.

Superintendent David Taylor was arrested and questioned for over 20 hours on suspicion of leaking information to journalists about two Roma children being removed from their families in May 2013.

Taylor was in charge of the Traffic Unit at Dublin Castle before he was suspended for the past 22 months.

In a statement David Taylor said, “After almost two years under formal Garda investigation I have been informed today that a decision has been made not to prosecute me. I await a copy of the Director of Public Prosecution’s letter.

I have waited a long time for this decision to be made. It has been an incredibly stressful and difficult time for my family and myself.

“I would like to thank my friends and colleagues who supported me throughout this time.

I have now been vindicated and I will shortly be resuming that part of my life which has been put on hold since the start of this process.

Protected Disclosure 

Taylor also made a protected disclosure last year alleging he took part in black propaganda after being ordered to discredit McCabe.

In it he alleged that he was instructed or directed by Callinan and/or Nóirín O’Sullivan (who was Deputy Commissioner at the time) to maliciously brief the media about Sergeant Maurice McCabe and encourage them to write negative stories about him.

Supreme Court Justice Peter Charleton will investigate the allegations, and what former Commissioner Martin Callinan and Noirín O’Sullivan knew about them, in a commission of investigation.

The Commission will examine all mobile phone records from David Taylor, Martin Callinan and Noirín O’Sullivan between 1 July 2012 and 31 May 2014 to look for any records relating to the allegations. It will also examine all electronic and paper files relating to Maurice McCabe held by An Garda Síochána.

Read: ‘I am innocent’: Nóirín O’Sullivan says she won’t step aside>

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