A garda accused of dangerous driving causing serious injury to a Brazilian delivery man whose leg was severed at the M50 in 2023 has pleaded not guilty, a court has heard.

João Henrique Ferreira, 24, who had lived in Ireland for five years, had been assisting friends in locating a stolen bicycle when the incident allegedly occurred on a slip road to the motorway in Tallaght, Dublin.

Following a probe by Fiosrú, (formerly GSOC), criminal proceedings commenced against Garda Neil Doyle of Dundrum station.

He was first summonsed to appear at Dublin District Court on 8 May on a charge of dangerous driving causing serious bodily harm at Junction 11, north on the M50, on 28 October 2023.

The court had ordered the prosecution to provide defence solicitor, Liz Hughes, with disclosure of evidence “as soon as possible” and adjourned the case.

The Director of Public Prosecutions directed summary disclosure in the District Court on a guilty plea. Otherwise, it would have to go to the Circuit Court, which has wider sentencing powers.

Today, Ms Hughes told Judge Michele Finan that, having received significant disclosure of evidence, she could inform the court that it was a not guilty plea.

The garda was present but remained silent during the proceedings.

Judge Finan noted the defence position and adjourned the case until 12 January for prosecutors to complete and serve a book of evidence on the defendant, and to grant a return for trial order.

Mr Ferreira had travelled back from Brazil for the proceedings on earlier dates but was not required to address the court. He did not have to attend today.

At a previous stage, the judge was told Mr Ferreira “was anxious for the court to hear from him about the seriousness of the injuries” and he was due to undergo further prosthetic surgery over the summer.

When the prosecution first came before the court in May, the defence had sought disclosure of prosecution evidence “as soon as possible” so the garda’s legal team could “consider his position”.

Garda Commissioner Justin Kelly has said he is reviewing the garda operational policing model – the structure through which the gardaí police the country – because there are “inefficiencies” and it is “not working well” in parts.

Commissioner Kelly told the Police and Community Safety Authority there were often disagreements in functional areas over who deals with what crime and there were problems in Roads Traffic Policing.

His comments are in marked contrast to those of his predecessor Drew Harris, who consistently insisted the model was working well in spite of claims to the contrary from gardaí at all ranks.

Commissioner Kelly also said there needed to be consistency in the operation of the model.

He described the findings of the Crowe report, which found that some gardaí in roads policing were not doing their job and had no interest in doing it as “shocking and disappointing”.

He accepted the current system of governance and oversight in roads policing was not working, saying it is “not doing the job we want it to do”.

He added an implementation group was looking at numbers, deployments and individual accountability in the department.

It was also looking at performance management in relation to the senior officers who are supposed to supervise gardaí not doing their job, as well as fleet distribution, policies and procedures.

The newly appointed Assistant Commissioner in charge of roads policing also told the authority that they were preparing a “structured time bound plan” to change the culture and work ethic in roads policing which would deliver “high standards, productivity and accountability”.

The Commissioner also told the Authority that there had been some “absolutely horrific” attacks on gardaí including “assailants with swords and weapons” and “incidents where officers have had to retreat”.

Commissioner Kelly said he was committed to providing gardaí with the equipment they needed to do their job and was planning a pilot programme on the introduction of tasers for frontline officers.

A former European election candidate for the Irish People Party has appeared before Cork District Court charged in connection with the alleged harassment of a garda.

Ross Lahive of Church Street, Shandon, Cork attended the Bridewell Garda station in the city on Thursday morning by appointment. He was charged with harassing a gardaon dates between October 9th, 2022, and February 6th, 2025.

Dt Sgt Christopher Cahill described the alleged actions of the accused as a “campaign of harassment.” He said the affected garda felt “intimidated” and “distressed” by the actions of the 46-year-old.

Dgt Sgt Cahill said Mr Lahive made no reply when the charge was put to him after caution.

He said the charge arose from an incident where the garda was dealing with a matter at a public event in October 2022. The garda arrested Mr Lahive at the event. It is alleged that footage of the garda was video recorded at the event and posted on social media.

Dgt Sgt Cahill said it is further alleged that on February 22nd, 2023, the same garda was walking outside Cork District Court, having given evidence in a case, when he was approached by Mr Lahive and his co-accused. The garda was wearing a civilian jacket over his Garda uniform.

It is alleged the garda was accosted, verbally abused and followed down Anglesea Street in Cork city by Mr Lahive.

The garda was allegedly recorded and live-streamed on social media by the co-accused in the case.

Dgt Sgt Cahill said the garda was afraid to get on his bus home. He was particularly concerned about the possibility of being followed by Mr Lahive and his co-accused.

It is the case of the State that the video footage was posted on Facebook later that day with a caption which contained derogatory comments about the garda. The video was also allegedly reposted in August and December 2023 and in February of this year.

Judge Dorgan accepted jurisdiction in the case in the event of a guilty plea being recorded. If the case is contested, it will be sent forward to Cork Circuit Court.

Sgt John Kelleher said that Mr Lahive also allegedly posted video footage of the garda on Wednesday night and Thursday morning. This does not form part of the charge before the court.

Mr Lahive said that he was made aware on Tuesday of his appointment with gardaí on Thursday morning. However, he insisted bail conditions had not been discussed at that point.

When asked by Sgt Kelleher if he thought that posting a video of the garda the night before and the morning of the court appearance was appropriate, Mr Lahive replied: “I felt that it was my constitutional right under freedom of speech.”

There was no objection to bail in the case. Mr Lahive gave an undertaking to abide by his bail conditions, including refraining from making comments on social media about the case. He was remanded on bail on his own bond of €1,000 to appeal before Cork District Court on November 20th next.

Free legal aid was granted. Defence solicitor Diarmuid Kelleher said that his client was on a community employment scheme and in receipt of €1,000 a month. Mr Kelleher was granted discovery of documents in the case.