Case No. 1986Disciplinary proceedings (judicial review) · Co. Dublin
High Court orders disciplinary process against probationer garda Caoimhe Busher be stopped
On 27 March 2025, the DMR South Central Divisional Drug Unit seized cocaine and prescription tablets worth €290,000 after intercepting a van in Dublin's south inner city and conducting follow-up searches in Dublin 12, arresting a man in his 20s and a man in his 30s. Also on 27 March 2025, William Greene, 48, of Phibsborough, Dublin, was sentenced to 16 months' imprisonment at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for making over 11,000 nuisance calls to emergency services between March and November 2023. Mr Justice David Nolan in the High Court ordered that a disciplinary process against probationer garda Caoimhe Busher be stopped, finding it tainted beyond the point of redemption. Busher, a probationer garda since 2018, brought judicial review proceedings against the Garda Commissioner over an internal investigation, ongoing since 2020, into how she allegedly investigated and input information into the Garda Pulse system related to a 2019 road traffic incident in South Dublin. The judge indicated she is entitled to legal costs, with final order and costs submissions listed for the following month.
- Reportednot reported
- Arrested27 Mar
2 reports - Chargednot reported
- In court27 Mar
- Verdictnot reported
- Sentenced27 Mar
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet
Key facts
consolidated from all reports- What happened
- Caoimhe Busher, a probationer garda since 2018, brought judicial review proceedings against the Garda Commissioner over a disciplinary investigation into how she allegedly investigated and input information into the Garda Pulse system related to a 2019 road traffic incident in South Dublin.
- On 27 March 2025, the DMR South Central Divisional Drug Unit intercepted a van in Dublin's south inner city and recovered 1.2kgs of suspected cocaine (€84,000), and follow-up searches at premises in Dublin 12 found a further 3kgs of cocaine (€210,000) and prescription tablets (€5,000), totalling €290,000.
- William Greene, 48, of Bective Square, Phibsborough, Dublin, made 11,043 nuisance calls to emergency services between 8 March and 9 November 2023, lasting 7,757.6 minutes (129 hours), jamming emergency lines in the Laois, Offaly and Kildare areas.
- When
- The internal investigation has been ongoing since 2020, and the High Court judgment was delivered on 27 March 2025.
- In court
- Mr Justice David Nolan in the High Court ordered the disciplinary process be stopped, finding it tainted beyond the point of redemption, and indicated Busher is entitled to legal costs with final order and costs submissions listed for the following month.
- Other details
- Busher's probation period was extended seven times, and the first inquiry board was dissolved before hearing the case because one of its members retired.
- Greene was under a suspended sentence at the time for giving false information in a hoax 999 call, had 20 other previous convictions, and was a qualified chef who had worked in the HSE.
- Investigation
- The van driver, a man in his 20s, was arrested and detained under Section 2 of the Criminal Justice (Drug Trafficking) Act 1996, and a man in his 30s was arrested under Section 15 of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1977/84.
- Where
- The drug operation was conducted in Dublin's south inner city and Dublin 12 area, assisted by Serious Crime Units in Kevin Street and Kilmainham Garda Stations.
- Charges
- Greene pleaded guilty to two counts of persistently making use of the telecommunications system for the purpose of causing annoyance, interference or needless anxiety to another.
- Sentence
- Judge Martin Nolan at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court imposed a three-year sentence on Greene and suspended the final 20 months on him entering a bond, resulting in 16 months' imprisonment.
51 statements extracted from the articles
- whatCocaine and prescription tablets worth a combined total of €290,000 were seized. (dublinlive.ie)
- what1.2kgs of suspected cocaine with an estimated value of €84,000 was recovered from the van. (dublinlive.ie)
- whatThe van driver, a man in his 20s, was arrested. (dublinlive.ie, irishmirror.ie)
- whatA further 3kgs of cocaine with an estimated value of €210,000 was discovered during the follow-up search. (dublinlive.ie)
- whatPrescription tablets with an estimated value of €5,000 were recovered. (dublinlive.ie, irishmirror.ie)
- whatA man in his 30s was arrested under Section 15 of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1977/84. (dublinlive.ie)
- whatTwo men were arrested after searches in Dublin (irishmirror.ie)
- what1.2 kilos of suspected cocaine with an estimated value of €84,000 was recovered from the van (irishmirror.ie)
- whatA further three kilos of cocaine with an estimated value of €210,000 was recovered (irishmirror.ie)
- whatA man in his 30s was arrested for Section 15 of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1977/84 (irishmirror.ie)
- whatWilliam Greene is 48 years old (irishmirror.ie)
- whatHe made more than 11,000 nuisance calls to emergency services (irishmirror.ie)
- whatThe calls jammed emergency telephone lines for nearly 130 hours in 2023 (irishmirror.ie)
- whatA total of 11,043 calls were made lasting 7,757.6 minutes or 129 hours (irishmirror.ie)
- whatThere were over 100 calls an hour from him on some occasions (irishmirror.ie)
- whatA Nokia mobile phone was found with the SIM relating to the phone number (irishmirror.ie)
- whatA second phone was found after his house was searched again (irishmirror.ie)
- whatCaoimhe Busher has been a probationer garda member since 2018 (irishtimes.com)
- whatThe disciplinary investigation concerns how she allegedly investigated and input information into the Garda Pulse system (irishtimes.com)
- whatBusher denies any wrongdoing (irishtimes.com)
- whatBusher's probation period was extended seven times (irishtimes.com)
- whatThe first inquiry board was dissolved before hearing the case because one of its members retired (irishtimes.com)
- whereA van was intercepted in the south inner city. (dublinlive.ie)
- whereA follow-up search was carried out at a premises in the Dublin 12 area. (dublinlive.ie)
- whereA van was intercepted in Dublin south inner city (irishmirror.ie)
- whereFollow-up searches were conducted at premises in the Dublin 12 area (irishmirror.ie)
- whereWilliam Greene lives at Bective Square, Phibsborough, Dublin (irishmirror.ie)
- whereThe calls caused gridlock and jamming of emergency telephone lines in the Laois, Offaly and Kildare areas (irishmirror.ie)
- whenThe van was intercepted on Thursday (irishmirror.ie)
- whenThe calls were made between March 8 and November 9, 2023 (irishmirror.ie)
- whenThe road traffic incident occurred in 2019 in South Dublin (irishtimes.com)
- whenThe internal investigation has been ongoing since 2020 (irishtimes.com)
- investigationThe operation was conducted by the DMR South Central Divisional Drug Unit. (dublinlive.ie)
- investigationThe van driver is detained under Section 2 of the Criminal Justice (Drug Trafficking) Act 1996. (dublinlive.ie, irishmirror.ie)
- investigationThe man in his 30s is detained under Section 2 of the Criminal Justice (Drug Trafficking) Act 1996. (dublinlive.ie, irishmirror.ie)
- investigationThe DMR South Central Divisional Drug Unit conducted the operation (irishmirror.ie)
- investigationThe searches were assisted by Serious Crime Units in Kevin Street and Kilmainham Garda Stations (irishmirror.ie)
- investigationInvestigations into the seizure are ongoing (irishmirror.ie)
- investigationDetective Garda Jeremy Gibbons said the investigation began due to the number of consistent calls from two phone numbers (irishmirror.ie)
- investigationHe was arrested in October 2023 (irishmirror.ie)
- chargeHe pleaded guilty to two counts of persistently making use of the telecommunications system for the purpose of causing annoyance, interference or needless anxiety to another (irishmirror.ie)
- courtThe case was heard at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court (irishmirror.ie)
- courtThe judge made an order of prohibition in regard to the disciplinary process (irishtimes.com)
- courtThe judge's provisional view is that Busher is entitled to her legal costs (irishtimes.com)
- courtThe matter was listed for the following month for submissions on the final order and costs (irishtimes.com)
- sentenceHe was sentenced to 16 months' imprisonment (irishmirror.ie)
- sentenceJudge Martin Nolan imposed a three-year sentence and suspended the final 20 months on him entering a bond (irishmirror.ie)
- otherHe was under a suspended sentence at the time for giving false information in a hoax 999 call (irishmirror.ie)
- otherHe had 20 other previous convictions including public order and criminal damage convictions (irishmirror.ie)
- otherHe had a nefarious addiction to alcohol and was heavily intoxicated when making the calls (irishmirror.ie)
- otherHe was a qualified chef who had worked in the HSE (irishmirror.ie)
The reporting
newest first- 27 Mar2025Judge order disciplinary process against probationer garda be stopped
High Court ruling delivered on 27 March 2025 granting an order of prohibition against the disciplinary process and indicating Busher is entitled to legal costs, with final order and costs submissions listed for the following month.
victim, Caoimhe Busher, female, irish (judged from name)Caoimhe Busher - 27 Mar2025Man jailed for making over 11,000 nuisance calls to Irish emergency services
Reports the sentencing of William Greene for over 11,000 nuisance calls that jammed emergency lines in Laois, Offaly and Kildare for nearly 130 hours in 2023.
convicted, William Greene, 48, male, named, irish (judged from name)William Greene - 27 Mar2025Gardai arrest two after seizing €290,000 of cocaine and tablets in Dublin
Initial arrest report following a vehicle stop and house search by the DMR South Central Divisional Drug Unit.
suspect, 20s, malesuspect, 30s, male - 27 Mar2025Cocaine and tablets worth €290,000 seized following searches in South Dublin
Initial report of the drug operation and arrests.
suspect, 20s, malesuspect, 30s, male