'I didn't mean to cause upset,' farmer in 'Bikegate' case told gardai

"A detective garda who was suspended for more than three years for giving an elderly farmer the loan of a bicycle during the pandemic is expected to receive another significant payout from the State."

"I didn't give [the detective] any money for this bike and it was going back once everything was opened. I didn't mean to cause upset over the bike. He lent me a bike, doing me a favour to keep me active."

A detective garda faced suspension for over three years after lending a bicycle to an elderly farmer during the pandemic. The detective has already received a personal injury settlement of nearly €275,000 from the State and is expected to receive further compensation for lost earnings. The farmer involved in the case clarified to gardaí in 2021 that he received no money for the bicycle, that it was temporary, and that the detective was simply doing him a favor to help keep him active. The case highlights the consequences of the investigation into what was ultimately a charitable act.

Read at Independent