Sunday 1 November 2026Compiled from published reports. Every claim links to its source.

Ireland Crime

Every case followed from the first report to the sentence, or to where the reporting stopped.

Case No. 23652Sexual assault · Co. Offaly · 27 Jun 2019

Garda Anthony Gath sentenced for sexually assaulting female colleague

Anthony Gath, 31, a garda from Tullamore, Co Offaly, was sentenced to three years (two suspended) by Judge Keenan Johnson at a Midlands court on 7 December 2022 for sexually assaulting a female garda colleague at her home on 27 June 2019. He had been found guilty after a two-day trial earlier in 2022 and had recently been dismissed from An Garda Síochána.

  1. Reportednot reported
  2. Arrestednot reported
  3. Chargednot reported
  4. In courtnot reported
  5. Verdictnot reported
  6. Sentenced7 Dec
    2 reports
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet

Key facts

consolidated from all reports
31 statements extracted from the articles
  • whatAnthony Gath, 31, is from Bunaterin, Tullamore, Co Offaly (irishtimes.com)
  • whatHe has been dismissed from the Garda force (irishtimes.com)
  • whatThe assault was committed after a number of gardaí were on a night out (irishtimes.com)
  • whatGath had been friendly with the victim (irishtimes.com)
  • whatThe evening prior to the offence they had been at the races and then went to a hotel with other colleagues (irishtimes.com)
  • whatThe victim did not have any recollection of Gath getting into the bed (irishtimes.com)
  • whatGath was found in a bathroom with his hands on his head in a distressed state (irishtimes.com)
  • whatThe accused denied committing sexual assault (irishtimes.com)
  • whatThe accused had no previous convictions (irishtimes.com)
  • whatA probation report indicated he was extremely apologetic to the victim, his family and his former Garda colleagues (irishtimes.com)
  • whatThe evening before the offence, both had been at the races and then went to a hotel with other colleagues. (leinsterexpress.ie)
  • whatThe victim recalled being woken during the night and feeling the man's hand under her underwear. (leinsterexpress.ie)
  • whatGath sent the victim a message the following day in which he said he had done something outrageous. (leinsterexpress.ie)
  • whatGath had no previous convictions. (leinsterexpress.ie)
  • whereAt the time Gath worked in a different location from the victim in the Leinster area (irishtimes.com)
  • whereGath and the victim worked in different locations in the Leinster area. (leinsterexpress.ie)
  • whenThe sexual assault took place at the victim's home on 27 June 2019 (irishtimes.com, leinsterexpress.ie)
  • investigationThe victim did not want to make a formal complaint but the gardai were obligated to investigate. (leinsterexpress.ie)
  • investigationStatements taken from the victim were corroborated by the other women present that night. (leinsterexpress.ie)
  • courtHe was found guilty in a trial earlier in 2022 (irishtimes.com)
  • courtJudge Keenan Johnson presided at the sentencing hearing on Wednesday (irishtimes.com)
  • courtHe was convicted after a two-day trial (irishtimes.com)
  • courtGath was convicted after a two-day trial. (leinsterexpress.ie)
  • sentenceTwo years of the three-year sentence were suspended on entry of a €500 peace bond (irishtimes.com)
  • sentenceHe was ordered to remain under the supervision of the probation service for 12 months (irishtimes.com)
  • sentenceThe sentence was ordered to begin on 10 January 2023 (irishtimes.com)
  • sentenceJudge Keenan Johnson imposed a three-year sentence with the final two years suspended. (leinsterexpress.ie)
  • sentenceGath was placed on the sex offenders' register and must meet with gardaí four times a year. (leinsterexpress.ie)
  • sentenceTwo years of the sentence were suspended on entry of a €500 peace bond and 12 months' probation supervision. (leinsterexpress.ie)
  • sentenceThe sentence was ordered to commence on 10 January 2023. (leinsterexpress.ie)
  • otherGath had recently been dismissed from An Garda Síochána. (leinsterexpress.ie)

The reporting

newest first
  1. 8 Dec2022
    Sentencedleinsterexpress.ie, its first report
    Midlands Judge sentences garda who sexually assaulted female colleague

    Sentencing hearing details: three-year sentence with two years suspended on a €500 peace bond, 12 months' probation supervision, sex offenders' register, and sentence to commence 10 January 2023.

    convicted, Anthony Gath, 31, male, named, irish (judged from name)Anthony Gathvictim, female
  2. 7 Dec2022
    Sentencedirishtimes.com, first report
    Garda who sexually assaulted female colleague receives jail term

    Provides a detailed account of the sentencing hearing, including the judge's description of the sequence of events, the victim's impact statement, the breach of trust finding, and the specific conditions of the sentence (€500 peace bond, 12 months probation supervision, sex offenders' register, sentence to begin 10 January 2023).

    victim, femaleconvicted, Anthony Gath, 31, male, named, irish (judged from name)Anthony Gath