Garda investigated after CCTV showing arrest of naked, distressed woman goes viral.

Newstalk.com

...she ended up committing suicide a couple of days after the video was shared.

This was reported earlier today, I couldn't see any mention of it on the main page or in AH yet. Whatever about the nature and substance of the allegations against the Garda, it seems this woman met a sad, lonely end. Whoever shared it, there was a video and it went viral. Sharing such footage of another human being for social media points and a laugh is just deplorable. I hope the Gardai get to the bottom of this quickly.

Newstalk.com wrote:

Two separate investigations are underway into allegations that a garda member recorded CCTV footage of a woman's arrest in Dublin last month.

The woman was detained under mental health laws after she was found walking naked on a busy street at St Stephen's Green on April 7th.

The Irish Sun reports that the garda is accused of using his phone to record the CCTV footage before sharing it to a WhatsApp group.

The footage was later posted to Facebook by another individual – where it was viewed 123,000 times within a 24-hour period.

The footage was taken down on April 11th after senior gardaí contacted the company.

The woman's body was found several days after the incident and it is believed she took her own life.

http://www.newstalk.com/Garda-accused-of-sharing-CCTV-footage-of-womans-arrest

GSOC source to the Irish Sun wrote:

"GSOC received a referral from the Garda Siochana in relation to this matter.

"They must refer any matter that appears to indicate that the ­conduct of a member of the Garda Siochana may have resulted in the death of, or serious harm to, a person so that it can be investigated independently.

"GSOC is undertaking an investigation into the conduct of Gardai in relation to this woman before her tragic death."

https://www.thesun.ie/news/975878/major-probe-launched-after-garda-accused-of-filming-troubled-naked-woman-in-street-before-sharing-clip-on-whatsapp/

Reportedly, a separate Garda investigation is underway too...

Garda source to Dublin Live wrote:

"Gardai are aware of the footage posted on Facebook and a Detective Superintendent has been appointed to examine the circumstances.

"It would be inappropriate to comment further at this stage."

http://www.dublinlive.ie/news/dublin-news/garda-suspended-after-allegedly-sharing-13013915

This is ongoing and the Garda at the centre of it remains unnamed and presumed innocent and it should remain that way in the meantime. Still though, there is an investigation underway into allegations of some really disheartening behaviour from a member of our force in the build-up to the suicide of a young woman.


Edit: Broadsheet.ie have named the woman as Dara Quigley, one of their part-time writers - http://www.broadsheet.ie/2017/05/10/disgusting-2/

She was a 'campaigning journalist' who highlighted and fought for working-class issues. She also fought with drug addiction personally and wrote about her battles as a means to inform, warn, and explore why we do that to ourselves in the first place.

Some of her articles on Dublin Inquirer: http://www.dublininquirer.com/author/dara-quigley/

I read a few of her articles and while some of her ideals might differ slightly from my own, she was passionate and involved with a talent for writing, and deserved a better end.

...Our economy and society is modeled on the behaviour of pigeons, survival of the fittest, everybody out for themselves.

The reality is more complex and beautiful than this regime can possibly imagine. In reality, we are more like a flock of starlings, producing intricate, amazing patterns all arising from one fundamental rule: no one bird is allowed to get lost.

This is the type of society I want to see, where no one person is allowed to fall between the cracks, nobody gets lost and no person is homeless...

I find it a sad end to a life that could have been saved.

Edit 2: Finally the Times ran an article: http://www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland/irish-news/naked-video-of-dead-woman-compounds-family-s-distress-1.3078653

eviltwin

Whoever shared that should be sacked. Absolutely scummy thing to do. RIP Dara x

IvyTheTerrible

Ah yeah Broadsheet wrote so nicely about her but showed their true colours (only after clicks) by sharing the video and not taking it down for hours. They should be ashamed and they've lost a reader.

Rubberchikken

If true the garda should be fired
But as someone with no faith in the police force on this country i wont be syrprised when nothing comes of it.

tomwaterford

sugarman wrote: »

I think this is being blown out of proportion

First off, the footage was of someone recording from a blurry CCTV monitor on a crappy phone. The CCTV camera was miles away. You can hardly make out whats going on, never mind identify who the person was. I seen it posted on facebook the other week.

Secondly, the Garda in question sent it to a private whatsapp group. Someone else in that group decided to share it or send it on until it reached facebook. I dont think there was any real intent or malicious here to defame anyone. It was probably a 'Ah you'll never guess what happened in work' type of message sent onto the lads.

I dont think the guard done a whole lot wrong, I mean the woman was recorded in the middle of the street. It not illegal to record anyone in a public place. It was stupid and imature, but thats really it.

The womans metal state is the real issue here, she was clearly not well and its something we as a country and media fail to highlight and deal with. We have such a poor attitude towards mental health, as well a suicide. Theres something wrong when we have one of the highest rates of suicide and nobody is doing a thing about it. We cant continue to ignore these issues, theyre not just going to go away.

Perhaps if the woman had access to thr right help and or treatments, she wouldnt be dead.

Im not victim blaming, and im not sticking up for the Gardai but the other side of it seems to be completely ignored and brushed under the carpet.

Do you honesty think its ok for the gaurds to be sending this type thing through whatsapp for the laugh?

Atlantic Dawn

sugarman wrote: »

Secondly, the Garda in question sent it to a private whatsapp group. Someone else in that group decided to share it or send it on until it reached facebook. I dont think there was any real intent or malicious here to defame anyone. It was probably a 'Ah you'll never guess what happened in work' type of message sent onto the lads.

But what else has been published in this Whatsapp group, could be all sorts. It's a complete abuse of power if true and the Garda should never be allowed back in the force so an example is made if found guilty of it.

Dr Crayfish

tomwaterford wrote: »

Do you honesty think its ok for the gaurds to be sending this type thing through whatsapp for the laugh?

I know, Jesus. "Ah it's ok a member of our police force only shared the arrest of a naked vulnerable woman later found dead with his mates".

I never had much time for the Garda anyway but it's just one thing after another at the moment. I would be very, very surprised to see any real disciplinary action taken over this. This country really is going to the dogs.

sugarman

sugarman wrote: »

Secondly, the Garda in question sent it to a private whatsapp group...

And that is outrageous and unacceptable.

IrishSea

Deleted User wrote: »

And that is outrageous and unacceptable.

Is it legal for a member of AGS to even do such a thing?

IvyTheTerrible

sugarman wrote: »

I think this is being blown out of proportion

First off, the footage was of someone recording from a blurry CCTV monitor on a crappy phone. The CCTV camera was miles away. You can hardly make out whats going on, never mind identify who the person was. ...

The womans metal state is the real issue here, she was clearly not well and its something we as a country and media fail to highlight and deal with. We have such a poor attitude towards mental health, as well a suicide Theres something wrong when we have one of the highest rates of suicide and nobody is doing a thing about it. We cant continue to ignore these issues, theyre not just going to go away.
.

First, I saw the video and it wasn't that blurry, I could make it out.

Second, yeah we must have an awful attitude to mental health when a Garda thinks it's ok to share video footage of a clearly vulnerable woman.

tomwaterford

Dr Crayfish wrote: »

I know, Jesus. "Ah it's ok a member of our police force only shared the arrest of a naked vulnerable woman later found dead with his mates".

I never had much time for the Garda anyway but it's just one thing after another at the moment. I would be very, very surprised to see any real disciplinary action taken over this. This country really is going to the dogs.

In fairness,their openly taking the piss at this stage


What deos a gaurd have to do to be even reprimanded like,the more you read of them the worse it gets??



*il even admit to. Being highly skeptical of the gaurds

FTA69

sugarman wrote: »

I think this is being blown out of proportion

First off, the footage was of someone recording from a blurry CCTV monitor on a crappy phone. The CCTV camera was miles away. You can hardly make out whats going on, never mind identify who the person was. I seen it posted on facebook the other week.

Secondly, the Garda in question sent it to a private whatsapp group. Someone else in that group decided to share it or send it on until it reached facebook. I dont think there was any real intent or malicious here to defame anyone. It was probably a 'Ah you'll never guess what happened in work' type of message sent onto the lads.

I dont think the guard done a whole lot wrong, I mean the woman was recorded in the middle of the street. It not illegal to record anyone in a public place. It was stupid and imature, but thats really it.

The womans metal state is the real issue here, she was clearly not well and its something we as a country and media fail to highlight and deal with. We have such a poor attitude towards mental health, as well a suicide. Theres something wrong when we have one of the highest rates of suicide and nobody is doing a thing about it. We cant continue to ignore these issues, theyre not just going to go away.

Perhaps if the woman had access to thr right help and or treatments, she wouldnt be dead.

Im not victim blaming, and im not sticking up for the Gardai but the other side of it seems to be completely ignored and brushed under the carpet.

Yeah god forbid they'd do their job and help somebody clearly in distress, much better to video it and send it on to the boys for a laugh.

JamboMac

sugarman wrote: »

I think this is being blown out of proportion

First off, the footage was of someone recording from a blurry CCTV monitor on a crappy phone. The CCTV camera was miles away. You can hardly make out whats going on, never mind identify who the person was. I seen it posted on facebook the other week.

Secondly, the Garda in question sent it to a private whatsapp group. Someone else in that group decided to share it or send it on until it reached facebook. I dont think there was any real intent or malicious here to defame anyone. It was probably a 'Ah you'll never guess what happened in work' type of message sent onto the lads.

I dont think the guard done a whole lot wrong, I mean the woman was recorded in the middle of the street. It not illegal to record anyone in a public place. It was stupid and imature, but thats really it.

The womans metal state is the real issue here, she was clearly not well and its something we as a country and media fail to highlight and deal with. We have such a poor attitude towards mental health, as well a suicide. Theres something wrong when we have one of the highest rates of suicide and nobody is doing a thing about it. We cant continue to ignore these issues, theyre not just going to go away.

Perhaps if the woman had access to thr right help and or treatments, she wouldnt be dead.

Im not victim blaming, and im not sticking up for the Gardai but the other side of it seems to be completely ignored and brushed under the carpet.

So your allowed share whatever you want as long as its a private whatsApp group, this kind of inhumanity is something else. Some people should have to take an exam to get a smart phone. Sign a waiver that they use it responsibly.

BorneTobyWilde

The blatant defending of the indefensible that the Garda Commissioner is currently doing on multiple issues would not fill you with confidence.
'' meeting was brief , few minutes''
'' it was over 2 hours and continued after I left''

Her No 2 '' I can't recall a thing''

What ****. They lead and their lead is followed from top to bottom. The Garda force is the most corrupt in Europe I would thing.
The Garda involved in this incident is not fit to serve and should be removed from duty ASAP. But he will be protected by the rest of the ****

All gardai need to wear bodycams like they do in Oregon when performing their duty IMO. Because in the current climate and the revelations of falsifying breath test records etc I honestly wouldn't trust a considerable number of them to serve the best interests of the public.

please helpThank YOU

What a scumbag to make fun of a poor girl with Mental & Emotional problems the Garda who put that video on line is a scumbag .

neonsofa

JamboMac wrote: »

So your allowed share whatever you want as long as its a private whatsApp group, this kind of inhumanity is something else. Some people should have to take an exam to get a smart phone. Sign a waiver that they use it responsibly.

Exactly, what kind of person do you have to be to even want to record and share that, even if on a private whatsapp. It's not like they were discussing possible ways of helping her. There was no need to share the video. There was no need to record it. It is so sad that a person's first thought in that situation is to take out their phone and record a woman in distress.

retro:electro

sugarman wrote: »

I think this is being blown out of proportion

First off, the footage was of someone recording from a blurry CCTV monitor on a crappy phone. The CCTV camera was miles away. You can hardly make out whats going on, never mind identify who the person was. I seen it posted on facebook the other week.

Secondly, the Garda in question sent it to a private whatsapp group. Someone else in that group decided to share it or send it on until it reached facebook. I dont think there was any real intent or malicious here to defame anyone. It was probably a 'Ah you'll never guess what happened in work' type of message sent onto the lads.

I dont think the guard done a whole lot wrong, I mean the woman was recorded in the middle of the street. It not illegal to record anyone in a public place. It was stupid and imature, but thats really it.

The womans metal state is the real issue here, she was clearly not well and its something we as a country and media fail to highlight and deal with. We have such a poor attitude towards mental health, as well a suicide. Theres something wrong when we have one of the highest rates of suicide and nobody is doing a thing about it. We cant continue to ignore these issues, theyre not just going to go away.

Perhaps if the woman had access to thr right help and or treatments, she wouldnt be dead.

Im not victim blaming, and im not sticking up for the Gardai but the other side of it seems to be completely ignored and brushed under the carpet.

What that guard did is disgusting. There is literally no defense for it. I don't care if he sent it to one person or ten, he had no right sending it to anyone. I hope more comes of this and he's made accountable.

Atlantic Dawn

Interesting the story doesn't feature at all on RTE.

gctest50

Fond of whatsapp a few of them

http://m.independent.ie/irish-news/news/garda-fined-two-weeks-wages-for-sending-lewd-video-to-woman-35421900.html


A garda who sent a video of himself performing a sex act to a woman "three days after he talked her out of jumping off a bridge" was not prosecuted because of a shortcoming in the law.

Dr Crayfish

This
One million non existent breathalyser tests
The whistleblower situation
Meetings being 2 minutes or 2 hours

I've no respect for the organisation any more

JP Liz V1

OMG what a disgrace, that poor woman RIP

VonLuck

Deleted User wrote: »

All gardai need to wear bodycams like they do in Oregon when performing their duty IMO. Because in the current climate and the revelations of falsifying breath test records etc I honestly wouldn't trust a considerable number of them to serve the best interests of the public.

What does that have to do with the topic at hand?

please helpThank YOU

Wait a Minute Garda record naked women on his phone and puts the video up on line?. The garda a few weeks ago want to make it a Criminal Offence to Record them while on duty . This Women is in a distressed state hes Job was to help her not make fun of her .

Phoebas

tomwaterford wrote: »

What deos a gaurd have to do to be even reprimanded like,the more you read of them the worse it gets??

The Garda has been suspended and GSOC have opened an investigation.

myshirt

Look, let's let this play out and justice to prevail. The quality of the evident may or may not rise to a legal standard.

However, what we definitely can say is that there is a sufficient and adequate quality of information out there to conclude without fear of contradiction that we have a problem, a massive problem, and we need to face up it. That problem is a serious, serious cultural issue within An Garda Siochana. How they view themselves and this self ingratiating attitude has to go.

This is a new Ireland and them and their generation of public servants can go swing for it. They have absolutely lamped the younger generation for the last time.

We need strong leadership and balls and it has to start with softening the cough of those currently sitting on exorbitant pensions, and soften it with considerable force. Next in line are those nearing retirement. No lump sums. No million euro pension. There needs to be a strong signalling effect rammed down the throat of these people. Balls need to be put in blenders. We need strong leadership on behalf of the public. Some key people likely need to be jailed, and others held accountable to serve as a warning and a marker of change.
Strong robust controls. We have the brains in this country to get it done. Go in there with the sleeves up and swinging the baseball bat of reform. Absolutely kick the arses off the lot of them and drive home there is a new sherrif in town.

This is incredible behaviour. To behave with absolute disregard for anything and with no fear of repercussion. You wouldn't expect this out of Rod Stewart, and that man could be pointed to as a man who gave the least amount of f#cks that any man ever gave. The type of man who would go into a petrol station, but is he going to buy any petrol, nope, absolutely not, he's just using the forecourt to turn around. Not a single f#ck given.

Just to clarify after reading a few posts which suggest some confusion - It is alleged that the Garda filmed the screen/monitor while they were reviewing the CCTV footage at some point after the arrest.

Not that that they took their phone out during the arrest and filmed it, it happened after the arrest. I'm not saying that is any better, just clarifying in case there was any confusion in my OP.

jimmycrackcorm

anna080 wrote:

What that guard did is disgusting. There is literally no defense for it. I don't care if he sent it to one person or ten, he had no right sending it to anyone. I hope more comes of this and he's made accountable.

Take a step back and blame whoever put in the cctv because that's where the original recording and sharing started.

Outlaw Pete

Seen the headline of The Sun 'Cop Video Leak Girl Takes Own Life' in Easons earlier and the first thing I thought was that the girl who had sex with Garda and posted it on PornHub must have taken her own life.

Anyway, just read a couple of Dara's articles and she wasn't writing about absolute nonsense to get clicks (which so many appear to be doing these days) she seemed to be writing very genuinely about things that really mattered in society today. RIP.

As for the Garda, hopefully he will no longer be one, nor any other member of AGS either that had anything to do with sharing the clip. The fact that she appears to have taken her life the day after the clip was shared seems quite significant.

mynamejeff

FTA69 wrote: »

Yeah god forbid they'd do their job and help somebody clearly in distress, much better to video it and send it on to the boys for a laugh.

was she not arrested under the mental health act , you know . in order to get her some help ?

Annasopra

Just reading some of her articles. Such a talented writer not afraid of the gritty truth.

http://www.broadsheet.ie/2016/03/23/reclaiming-the-right-to-dignity/

VonLuck

VonLuck wrote: »

What does that have to do with the topic at hand?

Quite a f**king lot tbh. A lot of them seem (from top to bottom) unaware that the era of the Garda Complaints Board where guards investigated guards ended quite a while ago.

Penny Tration

Her facebook profile is very worrying. She was obviously in an extremely bad way mentally.


Poor lady. May she rest in peace.

paleoperson

sugarman wrote: »

Secondly, the Garda in question sent it to a private whatsapp group. Someone else in that group decided to share it or send it on until it reached facebook.

If he's the one who originally shared it then he has full responsibility for everything that then happens to it. If he had trust in the people of the group that it would never get out, well then who's responsible if it does? It's on him.

sugarman wrote: »

I dont think there was any real intent or malicious here to defame anyone. It was probably a 'Ah you'll never guess what happened in work' type of message sent onto the lads.

oh that's alright then, shur if twas all done for a laff then where's the harm? I thought there was something malicious to it, but it was all just for a laugh. god forbid male policemen shouldn't be able to get a laugh out of the extreme mental turmoil of a woman before she committed suicide. </sarcasm>

He should be thrown in jail. Abusing his post like that, what a plonker.

Some police, not all, have serious, serious psychological and power issues. And you can only imagine how bad it goes when that type of control issues are mixed with hardened and tough criminals.

dirtyden

IvyTheTerrible wrote: »

First, I saw the video and it wasn't that blurry, I could make it out.

Second, yeah we must have an awful attitude to mental health when a Garda thinks it's ok to share video footage of a clearly vulnerable woman.

Why did you watch the video?

Are Am Eye

Deleted User wrote: »

Quite a f**king lot tbh. A lot of them seem (from top to bottom) unaware that the era of the Garda Complaints Board where guards investigated guards ended quite a while ago.

Unfortunately it hasn't.

GSOC is a sham. A smokescreen to fool the public.

You make a complaint to GSOC and it sent to the Garda Division of the incident in question. There, a local Superintendent or Inspector investigates the complaint. In other words, the police are policing themselves. There is no
oversight body.

There are a small number of cases that GSOC deal with themselves.Less than 10%. But in regard to these they are on the record as saying that the investigations are pointless as the Gardai do not cooperrate and do not share or disclose files or evidence. See the Boyle case in particular (supposed garda tout/high level drug dealer given total immunity by gardai)
https://www.rte.ie/news/2013/0509/391272-kieran-boylan-garda-ombudsman/

andekwarhola

AGS is in serious need of reform but conflating this incident with that is misguided.

It's not a organizational anomaly, rather a idiotic individual that should be sanctioned for such a stupid act.

RayM

sugarman wrote: »

I dont think there was any real intent or malicious here to defame anyone. It was probably a 'Ah you'll never guess what happened in work' type of message sent onto the lads.

That's an even bigger problem though. I doubt there was any calculated malice either. Based on the vast majority of guards I've encountered, I'd say it's far more likely that the guard in question is so incredibly thick that he thinks it's acceptable to send a video of a person going through a psychotic episode to "the lads" for their entertainment.

Maybe the entry requirements should be a little bit higher than just scraping five D3s in the Leaving Cert and being able to do the Loughborough Beep Test without throwing up afterwards.

tomofson

Penny Tration wrote: »

Her facebook profile is very worrying. She was obviously in an extremely bad way mentally.


Poor lady. May she rest in peace.

She boasts about stabbing her father then threatens to kill her brother, worrying sign indeed. Is there any truth to the stabbing allegation or is that just in her mind?

There was another young woman who was obviously mentally ill and was crying out for help on facebook for years, people mocked her, made a laugh of her. She went on to stab an innocent person in the neck.

Murrisk

Are Am Eye

Are Am Eye wrote: »

Unfortunately it hasn't.

GSOC is a sham. A smokescreen to fool the public.

You make a complaint to GSOC and it sent to the Garda Division of the incident in question. There, a local Superintendent or Inspector investigates the complaint. In other words, the police are policing themselves. There is no
oversight body.

There are a small number of cases that GSOC deal with themselves.Less than 10%. But in regard to these they are on the record as saying that the investigations are pointless as the Gardai do not cooperrate and do not share or disclose files or evidence. See the Boyle case in particular (supposed garda tout/high level drug dealer given total immunity by gardai)
https://www.rte.ie/news/2013/0509/391272-kieran-boylan-garda-ombudsman/

Bloody hell. Reading that it seems there's a helluva long way to go until we can say the police of this state are properly policed themselves......

ED E

Just to add to the dismay, the woman heading up the new "Garda Review Body" was the one that appointed O'Sullivan. Like COME ON.

rawn

Are people here actually taking the time to look her up on Facebook and read her profile? Have ye no respect for her or her family??

Mr.Micro

Rubberchikken wrote: »

If true the garda should be fired
But as someone with no faith in the police force on this country i wont be syrprised when nothing comes of it.

The standard of An Garda is below acceptable most of the time. This latest incident, if it is down to a Garda leaking any footage of this woman is beyond belief. Where is the blue line with an Garda Siochana? Criminal charges should be applied, if An Garda are shown to be responsible. Then again An Garda investigating An Garda....

tomofson

rawn wrote: »

Are people here actually taking the time to look her up on Facebook and read her profile? Have ye no respect for her or her family??

Its just to get a better picture and understanding of her mind and mental state, some of us do have an interest in psychology.

RayM

tomofson wrote: »

Its just to get a better picture and understanding of her mind and mental state, some of us do have an interest in psychology.

It's none of our business, and it's of no relevance to the thread.

tomofson

RayM wrote: »

It's none of our business, and it's of no relevance to the thread.

I would say her mental state is very relevant to the thread.

RayM

tomofson wrote: »

I'm sure her mental state is very relevant to the thread.

Not if you have to go snooping on a dead person's Facebook profile for it, like some kind of f*cking vulture, it isn't.

rawn

tomofson wrote:

I would say her mental state is very relevant to the thread.

No. What is relevant to the thread is the circumstances surrounding the Garda that shared the video, NOT the woman's mental state.

tomofson

rawn wrote: »

No. What is relevant to the thread is the circumstances surrounding the Garda that shared the video, NOT the woman's mental state.

I would say more than one particular issue is relevant, one of them being mental illness, after all mental illness was the root cause of the incident in the first place and led to the predicament.

rawn

But we already know she was mentally ill, why the need to poke around her Facebook page to see HOW mentally ill she was? The issue is the Garda, of course mental health in general is a large part of this topic but there is absolutely no need to be looking at her Facebook page. It's hugely disrespectful and frankly hypocritical to snoop through her page while at the same time talking about the lack of privacy she had with the video being shared!