News Thread for all ES related

Saturday April 04 2009

DOZENS of potential weapons have been confiscated from a Traveller halting site after a family feud spiralled out of control.

A large number of gardai, including the public order units, were dispatched to the Oldcastle halting site on the Nangor Road, Co Dublin, after fears that a mini-riot was about to break out.

Shortly after lunchtime yesterday around 20 officers from the public order unit, dressed in full riot gear, raided the site, searching skips, caravans, abandoned and burnt-out cars.

They then removed potential weapons, including slash hooks, chains, garden rakes, pitchforks and rusty iron bars.

According to local reports, the dispute may havebroken out with a family that was visiting the site.

The stand-off is believed to have lasted around an hour and a half. There were no reports of any injuries, and no arrests were made. It began at around 12.30pm yesterday and continued for 90 minutes before calm was restored around 2pm.

However, gardai did continue to keep a presence at the site for a period.

Barney Joyce, of the Clondalkin Travellers Development Group, said gardai were now in talks with the family at the centre of the dispute.

"It's an issue within a family that's now been addressed and the guards are now dealing with that in an effective way and are now talking with the family," he said.

It is understood fewer than 20 families live on the halting site, just off the Nangor Road.

Cllr Shane O'Connor, of South Dublin Co Council, visited the site early yesterday afternoon as members of families were talking with gardai.

He said many people were "getting on about their business" with children continue to play on the site. Mr Joyce said the incident had been blown out of proportion and the vast majority of Travellers involved were trying to quell tensions.

"Situations like this can be taken out of context and I would be concerned about that," Mr Joyce said.

"I think a lot of people were

trying to defuse it." The Oldcastle site has been hit by disturbances and tragedy in the past.

In 2001, a man was injured and several others arrested after a late night row at the halting site, and in November 2005 two young boys were killed in a caravan fire at the encampment.

- Louise Hogan and Colm Kelpie

Commissioner wants to fill key positions
Wednesday, 8 April 2009 11:00
Garda Commissioner Fachtna Murphy has said he will approach the Government with a view to having key promotions in the force filled despite the current financial situation.

The Commissioner told the Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors conference that, while the moratorium on recruitment was an economic reality, he would be making a case with the Government for all promotions in key investigative and supervisory posts filled.

Fachtna Murphy also said that the Garda College in Templemore would be used more for training and redeployment of gardaí throughout the force was now an option.

AdvertisementOn the issue of gang-related murders, he said substantial progress had been made in most of the ten such killings this year.

He said he was happy with the investigation into the death of the Co Offaly publican Matt Farrell.

He also said that the fraud squad was investigating suspected financial crime in the banks.

While he did not want the Criminal Assets Bureau to operate outside its remit, CAB is available if necessary to the Assistant Commissioner in charge of that investigation.

A minute's silence was held at the conference in memory of Robert McCallion.

The AGSI said it was saddened and traumatised by the death of the 29-year-old garda who died in hospital after he was knocked down by a stolen car in Donegal.

Commissioner Murphy has commiserated with the McCallion family and commended Robert for his bravery in the line of duty.

Two plead guilty over €650m cocaine haul Tuesday, 21 April 2009 22:13
Two men have pleaded guilty in connection with the biggest cocaine seizure in the history of the State.

Philip Doo, aged 52, from Devon, and Christopher Wiggins, aged 42, with an address in Spain admitted possessing the drugs for sale or supply at Cork Circuit Criminal Court today.

The drugs, with an estimated street value of €650m, were seized when the navy, gardaí, and customs swooped on the 60ft boat Dances with Waves last November, 170 miles off the Cork coast.

AdvertisementThe seizure exceeded a previous record-breaking haul of 1.5 tonnes of cocaine - valued at €440m - which washed up on the Cork coast near Mizen Head in July 2007 after an elaborate trafficking scam fell apart.

The two were remanded in custody for sentencing on 8 May.

Garda broke up with girlfriend over HIVstress

The High Court has awarded a garda € 25,000 for the post-traumatic stress he suffered after he came into contact with a drug addict covered in blood who he feared had Aids.


Tuesday April 21 2009

A GARDA has won a €25,000 payout for post-traumatic stress after tackling a blood-covered drug addict he feared had Aids.

Garda Paul McManus (28) had broken up with his girlfriend in the aftermath of the incident, the High Court heard.

He said the fears of contracting HIV were always on his mind.

Garda McManus, of Taylor's Hall, Kells, Co Meath, told Mr Justice Michael Hanna that in November 2002 while stationed in Dundrum, Co Dublin, he had chased a car thief into bushes following a high-speed pursuit.


Sick

He had cut the back of his hand when reaching into the bushes to grab him and drag him out.

He had handcuffed the man who, while not violent, was very agitated. The man had a lot of blood on his hand and had stated that he had HIV.

Garda McManus said that while he had cuts on the back of his hand after having grabbed the man in the bushes he noticed that the amount of blood on him was not consistent with these cuts.

He did not know how the arrested man had cut himself but it had transpired he was a very sick man and was believed to be suffering from full-blown Aids.

Garda McManus said he had blood tests taken and had been given the all clear after six months. He had nevertheless researched the matter and felt he could be at risk for up to 12 months after the incident.

He said his relationship with his girlfriend had broken up as a direct result of his fears.


Post-traumatic

He told the court he had not availed of the Garda Welfare Service as he was only 22 at the time and still working out his probationary period. He had not wished to draw particular attention to himself.
Awarding him €25,000 damages, Judge Hanna said he was satisfied Garda McManus had suffered post-traumatic stress.

Riot Injury Cop gets €60,000

Officer battered by "unruly mob"

A Garda who suffered multiple injuries in a riot eight years ago has been awarded more than €60,000 damages in the High Court.
Patrick Allen (55) told Mr Justice Michael Hanna that he was violently kicked and dragged along the street. HIs uniform had been set on fire and cut with knives during the incident.
Mr Allen, a former member of the Crim Task Force at Dublin Castle said the while stationed in Cork he and several colleagues had been sent to the scene of violent public disorder involving about 500 youths at Cook Street in the city in September 2000.
Many in the crowd were drunk and a number of men had started fist fights and had turned on the gardai when they stepped in t make arrests.
Mr Allen, who is now retired and lives in Glenmore Cobh, Co. Cork, said that the crowd turned hostile towards the gardai and began throwing glass bottles at them.
Gardai were called in from all over Cork and eventually the crowd had cleared. Twelve people had been arrested.

Pain

Mr Allen told the court he had been knocked to the ground and violently kicked by member of the crowd.
Judge Hanna said the "unruly mob" had turned on the gardai when Mr Allen had gone to the aid of his colleagues he had suffered injuries to his back, neck and ribs.
He still suffered pain several times a day from a foot injury particularly while driving.
Awarding Mr Allen 60,000 damages and €2,000 special damages. Judge Hanna said the riot had been frightening.

In a separate case, a garda, bitten by “a deranged young woman” as he and a colleague saved her from jumping off a bridge, was yesterday awarded €20,000 damages in the same court.

Garda Michael Keaveney, of Sligo Road, Ballina, Co Mayo, said he and a colleague had been called to a bridge outside Ballina in January 2004 where a young woman was threatening to jump into a river.

She was standing on top of railings and they had managed to grab her arms and take her down. She had a broken bottle and had been stabbing herself.

He told Mr Justice Hanna that as they were getting her up off the ground she had bitten him on his right arm.

The girl had been taken to Ballina Garda station where she had been seen by a doctor and immediately committed to hospital under the Mental Health Act.

Garda Keaveney said that when he attended a doctor, his arm was bleeding and swollen and showed two teeth-puncture marks. He had learned afterwards the girl took drugs and he had been advised to have blood tests.

He said he became very worried about contracting the HIV virus and had difficulty sleeping at night until finally getting the all-clear six months after the incident.

Garda Keaveney said the fear had stayed with him for about a year after getting the all-clear.

Mr Justice Hanna said it had obviously been a very frightening episode for Garda Keaveney.

28/04/2009 - 16:50:16
Many senior Garda officers are more driven by self-interest than serving the community, rank and file leaders claimed today.

The Garda Representative Association (GRA) said a corporate culture being foisted upon the force was threatening core policing.

In a strongly-worded attack, GRA president Michael O’Boyce said senior officers acting like company managers were afraid to make a decision in case it turns out to be a mistake. “They are slaves of their own self image and their loyalty is pledged in pursuit of promotion,” he said.

“Ambition, self advancement and seeking promotion are worthwhile traits and objectives, but not at the expense of vocational loyalty.”

Addressing Commissioner Fachtna Murphy at the annual GRA delegate conference in Killarney, Co Kerry, Mr O’Boyce said there was a lack of real leaders among the higher ranks of the force.

“Commissioner, you have too many managers and not enough leaders in your senior ranks,” he said.

“You have too many in those ranks who can manage in that they can exercise control and domination over, but they can’t lead in the sense that they can guide and inspire others.

“No-one should feel that they are not allowed to make a mistake.”

Many senior officers no longer believe they are servants of the people nor have they loyalty to their communities, he said.

The GRA leader warned Commissioner Murphy against further grafting of corporate management concepts into the Garda, in the name of modernisation.

“I urge you Commissioner to return us to traditional and standard policing strategies and terminology and forget about the business school model currently overwhelming the force,” he said.

Galway Advertiser, May 07, 2009.
Jury hears of garda’s fear for lives

By Martina Nee

The jury in the trial of man who is alleged to have indiscriminately fired up to 48 live rounds of shotgun cartridges during a 21-hours stand-off has heard that gardai and members of the public had been in fear of their lives.

On the opening day of the trial which began yesterday Sgt Peter Carr spoke of his worry and fear that someone “was going to be shot” while Anthony Burke fired round after round from his home at 67 Crowe Street, Gort, between 11pm on October 8, 2006, and 9pm on October 9, 2006.

The 42-year-old pleaded not guilty to two counts of possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life but guilty to possession of these weapons with intent to cause injury to property. He also pleaded not guilty to possession of ammunition, namely 1,300 to 1,400 shotgun cartridges, with intent to endanger life but guilty to intent to cause injury to property. A not guilty plea was entered for the charge of possession of firearms in suspicious circumstances.

Burke entered a plea of guilty to the remaining charges of possession of ammunition, 1,400 rounds of 12 gauge shotgun cartridges, which was not authorised at the time, criminal damage of two Garda vehicles, two cars belonging to the public, and to a lighting unit, and to the reckless discharge of a firearm.

Barrister for the State Mr Conor Fahy told the court that at 11.23pm gardai received a call from a woman stating that shots had been heard. Two Garda cars, one unmarked, was dispatched. Gardai were told that a domestic dispute had taken place, shots were fired, and that Burke’s partner and three children fled to a neighbour’s house.

When gardai attempted to speak to Burke shots were fired through the front door and they were forced to retreat to number 66. Mr Fahy said that Burke continued to fire “indiscriminately” from the doors and windows of his house and gardai had to carry out an evacuation. The court heard that Burke had surrendered one gun but still had another and 1,400 cartridges.

Mr Fahy said that at 8.19pm Burke left the house, walked down the garden path and started shooting. While crouching down between two disabled Garda cars he reloaded and aimed at gardai. He said that Burke was wearing a fully loaded ammunition belt and that he ignored garda calls to lay down his weapon and instead continued to aim his weapon in their direction.

A number of non-lethal rounds were fired by gardai and Burke was shot in the shoulder area before being knocked to the ground; he has since fully recovered. Mr Fahy added that Burke had discharged 48 live rounds of shotgun cartridges during the stand-off which lasted approximately 21 hours ending on October 9 at 8.30pm.

Sgt Carr gave evidence that at approximately 11.30pm on October 8 he spoke to two women, one Burke’s partner, while Garda Michael Carroll took up an armed position outside number 67. After failed and often dangerous attempts to make contact with Burke Sgt Carr ordered an evacuation of number 66. He said that he waited for a short break in the firing to get Garda Emer Walsh, a female neighbour, Burke’s partner, and her frightened children out of the house and over a back wall. He added that there could have been 10 to 12 shots fired during this time and that he had feared for everyone’s lives.

The trial continues.