And in an extensive interview today, brave survivor Margaret, who was extremely let down by Bolger ultimately pleading to a lesser assault charge, said it would be pointless to appeal – but she does still want to see him fully sacked.
Margaret Loftus Rouse speaking on RTE Prime Time(Image: )
Gardai have finally stopped paying an officer who beat his ex – as the victim today says she doesn’t want another trial.
The Irish Mirror has learned that the force has as of this week stopped paying disgraced officer Trevor Bolger – after he was convicted and given a suspended sentence for attacking his ex-wife, Margaret Loftus. Bolger, who has been suspended since 2019, was still being paid up until recent days.
And in an extensive interview today, brave survivor Margaret, who feels extremely let down by Bolger ultimately pleading to a lesser assault charge, said it would be pointless to appeal – but she does still want to see him fully sacked.
“If I appeal this I am locked into another judicial process where my life is put on hold and I have to stay silent. So an appeal for me right now would feel like I am being sentenced,” she said. “He (Trevor Bolger) spent since 2019 sitting at home and being paid by the State. Enough money has been wasted.”
On Friday this paper learned that the Garda boss had now approved a decision to cut off Bolger’s pay – following his conviction – although he remains suspended and not sacked.
Speaking to us after being informed of the development, brave survivor Margaret said she was delighted at the news: “This is a positive step towards ensuring vulnerable people and victims of domestic violence are safer,” she said. But she called on the Commissioner to now go a step further – and sack Bolger for good. “I think it’s an absolute scandal and it’s unjust that he wasn’t sacked years ago,” she said.
Victim Margaret Loftus pictured speaking to media outside Dublin circuit court(Image: Collins Photo Agency)
“But I am also aware Justin Kelly wasn’t Commissioner two years ago. I have full faith that the Garda Commissioner is going to make the best decision for the organisation and for the women of Ireland. He himself may be stuck within an internal inquiry process right now. But I have no doubt in my mind that he is going to take the necessary action to ensure there is no reputational damage done to An Garda Siochana,” she added.
Asked for comment about the development a Garda spokesperson said: “The named Garda in this case is currently suspended without pay.”
The force has previously said that the Garda Commissioner Justin Kelly “made it very clear that there is zero tolerance for domestic abuse outside and inside of An Garda Síochána” – but also acknowledged that Bolger – although suspended – has not been dismissed as yet.
Speaking today, Margaret said she cannot even bring herself to look at photos of Bolger, as she spoke of his cunning and manipulative manner.
“Every time I see a picture of him or hear his name a bit of vomit comes into my throat,” she said. “He is very cunning, conniving and abusive.”
Disgraced Garda officer Trevor Bolger(Image: )
She said that Bolger knew exactly how to manipulate the system in his favour. She also said that she believed it probably didn’t suit many people for her to stand up and tell her truth and that she faced a lot of resistance because of that.
Speaking about her reaction to a plea deal, Margaret told of how despite all of the years in and out of the courts, she would have been happy to take the more serious charges all the way to trial.
“I got very upset and felt insulted. I could not believe you could plead from a threat to kill and coercion charge that carries 10 years and be allowed to plead to a lesser charge that only carries six months. Now I am aware at the end of the day a conviction was got and I am grateful for that. This case has been a battle from the very get go. But I would have been able for a trial and ready for a trial,” she said.
Last week the court heard that Bolger no longer drinks alcohol and has engaged with the MOVE (Men Overcoming Violent Emotions) programme, which works with domestic violence against women. It also heard about a number of testimonials that were handed in in his favour.
Trevor Bolger with an address in Swords in Co Dublin arriving at the Central Criminal Court(Image: Collins Courts)
Margaret told us of her disgust at this: “I would say shame on anyone who gave a reference to a man who pleaded guilty to assaulting a woman. The very nature of domestic abuse is that perpetrators present themselves as pillars of society.”
Since her case ended Margaret says she has finally been able to breathe – and now hopes her story will inspire change within the organisation she still loves.
“I have had ten tonnes of negative energy lifted off me since the weekend. I’m just enjoying my family around me and I’m just going to allow myself to just be without this hanging over me,” she said.
“I loved every moment of my time in An Garda Siochana. “There were other circumstances (as to why I left) and I can’t say it was entirely due to this but this definitely played a role in that decision,” she said.
Margaret said she felt some in the organisation protected Bolger.
“ I feel a number of people within the organisation certainly contributed to intimidating me, I imagine with a view of keeping me quiet,” she said. “The fact that he doesn’t have a firearm now and he is still on suspension, I feel like we are finally getting somewhere. But to say that he’s not been dismissed is an absolute insult to the women of Ireland.
“(But) I cannot say enough good about the investigating team. But when there is a core group of members who are perpetrators and facilitate abuse – they can cause untold damage, as they have to my life.”
And she spoke of her concern that even now there are many more potential abusers still going to work within An Garda Siochana. “I know that the other members, the honest ones, the ones who do their jobs properly, they don’t want to be around those people, they don’t want to be wearing the same uniforms as those people.
“When you have a guard who does everything they can do for this job and commits themselves to it and they go to work or are sitting in a car with someone who was in the family courts the day before and a barring order has been issued against them, like it’s very demoralizing for those good honest members to have to work alongside these people,” she said.
“Even if you did speak up, there is nothing within the organisation to address members who have barring orders against them. You can’t allow that kind of practice to happen and then gaslight the women of Ireland by saying the organisation has zero tolerance on violence against women,” she said.
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Margaret, who is now working with Katie’s Trust charity, says her life was dominated by this case for over a decade – and it was extremely traumatic for her.
“My whole life has been on hold for the last decade and more. We have been living date to date. The next court date and then there’s another and you’re living on high intensity and wondering will this be the one that concludes it. You do go in with hope and then you come out with a result that he’s just got an order for even more access to your life. Traumatising doesn’t even cover it. My life was very hard to live on some days. It was extremely difficult,” she said.
Despite not getting the result she had hoped for in the courts, Margaret says her hope now is that it inspires real change.
“I don’t believe any person can sit in front of me and tell me I got justice. But having said that, my case is a deterrent and sends a message for any woman to stand against their abuser. Unless we stand up against them, unless we come forward, the system will not change,” she said.
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