![\"Margaret](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/1769255411_43_1_unnamed.jpg\")
<\/p>\nAnd 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.<\/p>\n
Margaret Loftus Rouse speaking on RTE Prime Time(Image: )<\/p>\n
Gardai have finally stopped paying an officer who beat his ex – as the victim today says she doesn\u2019t want another trial.<\/p>\n
The Irish Mirror<\/a> 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.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n \u201cIf 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,\u201d she said. \u201cHe (Trevor Bolger) spent since 2019 sitting at home and being paid by the State. Enough money has been wasted.\u201d<\/p>\n On Friday this paper learned that the Garda boss<\/a> had now approved a decision to cut off Bolger\u2019s pay – following his conviction – although he remains suspended and not sacked.<\/p>\n Speaking to us after being informed of the development, brave survivor Margaret said she was delighted at the news: \u201cThis is a positive step towards ensuring vulnerable people and victims of domestic violence <\/a>are safer,\u201d she said. But she called on the Commissioner to now go a step further – and sack Bolger for good. \u201cI think it\u2019s an absolute scandal and it’s unjust that he wasn\u2019t sacked years ago,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n Victim Margaret Loftus\u00a0pictured speaking to media outside Dublin circuit court(Image: Collins Photo Agency)<\/p>\n \u201cBut I am also aware Justin Kelly wasn\u2019t 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,\u201d she added.<\/p>\n Asked for comment about the development a Garda spokesperson said: “The named Garda in this case is currently suspended without pay.”<\/p>\n The force has previously said that the Garda Commissioner Justin Kelly \u201cmade it very clear that there is zero tolerance for domestic abuse outside and inside of An Garda S\u00edoch\u00e1na\u201d – but also acknowledged that Bolger – although suspended – has not been dismissed as yet.<\/p>\n Speaking today, Margaret said she cannot even bring herself to look at photos of Bolger, as she spoke of his cunning and manipulative manner.<\/p>\n \u201cEvery time I see a picture of him or hear his name a bit of vomit comes into my throat,\u201d she said. “He is very cunning, conniving and abusive.\u201d<\/p>\n Disgraced Garda officer Trevor Bolger(Image: )<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n Speaking about her reaction to a plea deal, Margaret told of how despite all of the years in and out of the courts<\/a>, she would have been happy to take the more serious charges all the way to trial.<\/p>\n \u201cI 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,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n Last week the court<\/a> 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.<\/p>\n Trevor Bolger with an address in Swords in Co Dublin arriving at the Central Criminal Court(Image: Collins Courts)<\/p>\n 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.\u201d<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n \u201cI have had ten tonnes of negative energy lifted off me since the weekend. I’m just enjoying my family around me and I\u2019m just going to allow myself to just be without this hanging over me,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n \u201cI loved every moment of my time in An Garda Siochana. \u201cThere were other circumstances (as to why I left) and I can\u2019t say it was entirely due to this but this definitely played a role in that decision,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n Margaret said she felt some in the organisation protected Bolger.<\/p>\n \u201c I feel a number of people within the organisation certainly contributed to intimidating me, I imagine with a view of keeping me quiet,\u201d she said. “The fact that he doesn\u2019t have a firearm now and he is still on suspension, I feel like we are finally getting somewhere. But to say that he\u2019s not been dismissed is an absolute insult to the women of Ireland.<\/p>\n \u201c(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.\u201d<\/p>\n And she spoke of her concern that even now there are many more potential abusers still going to work within An Garda Siochana. \u201cI know that the other members, the honest ones, the ones who do their jobs properly, they don\u2019t want to be around those people, they don\u2019t want to be wearing the same uniforms as those people.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen 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\u2019s very demoralizing for those good honest members to have to work alongside these people,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n \u201cEven 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,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n![\"Victim](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/2_CC_Margaret_Loftus-08JPG.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![\"Disgraced](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/1_Trevor-Bolger.png\")
<\/p>\n![\"Trevor](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/1769255414_767_2_CC-Trevor-Bolger-4.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/0_OTOOLE-HEALY.jpg\")
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