FORMER Garda Superintendent Kevin Lennon has won a substantial libel settlement with a newspaper company.
The former Donegal Garda won an apology from Ireland on Sunday – now known as the Irish Mail on Sunday – over an article published in 2003.
An apology on behalf of Associated Newspapers was read out to Carrick on Shannon court which said: “On March 9th 2003 Ireland on Sunday reported on civil proceedings against the State in which a claim was made that Superintendent Kevin Lennon had an affair with Josephine Jackson.” Mr Lennon had at all times denied the allegation and the publication said in court “We accept this.”
The apology went on: “We did not intend to suggest that Mr Lennon had such an affair. We unreservedly withdraw any such suggestion. We wish to apologise to Mr Lennon and regret the distress the article caused to him and his family.”
In a statement Mr Lennon, who was an inspector in Letterkenny at the time of the article, said: “The offending article as published was not alone an attack on me personally, but also on my wife and children and our extended family.
“No words can express the sheer devastation that this false circulation had upon my wife and children.
“The newspaper Ireland on Sunday were made well aware that the story had no truth prior to its publication. Nevertheless, they proceeded with their publication and have sought over nine years to defend it.”
Mr Lennon said Ireland on Sunday used “gutter” journalism and attacked him and his family.
He went on: “I am happy to have had the opportunity despite the delay involved to have corrected this untruth published about me. However, I have never had an opportunity to, in any meaningful way, defend or vindicate the very serious allegations and findings against me as a former member of An Garda Siochana.
“There are very fundamental and serious issues which have never been investigated and which should be properly and fully investigated in the public interest involving still serving members of An Garda Siochana.
“The public have been conditioned by events and I have been scapegoated in a very deliberate fashion.
“I will continue to fight as best I can to vindicate and correct incorrect findings made against me.”
He paid tribute to his family for “their unbending loyalty and support.”
He also thanked his legal team John McNulty and Barrister Keith O’Grady of Kevin P. Kilrane & Co.