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Garda convicted of assaulting prisoner - 4 other Garda in same room "saw nothing"

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Comments

  • #92
    wyndhurst
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 124 ✭✭wyndhurst


    HondaSami wrote: »
    but that does not give someone the right to assault him ffs.

    I never said it does.
    I just cannot see why the Judge took his word over 4 Gardai.....
    IMO - there must be something missing from the report.


  • #93
    humbert
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,238 ✭✭✭humbert


    wyndhurst wrote: »
    I never said it does.
    I just cannot see why the Judge took his word over 4 Gardai.....
    IMO - there must be something missing from the report.

    It's the Indo so appalling journalism would be my first guess. I think it's reasonable to assume there was some pretty damning evidence against him.


  • #94
    Death and Taxes
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,775 ✭✭✭Death and Taxes


    wyndhurst wrote: »
    Why has Judge Mitchell taken the word of Derek Bradley over 4 Gardai?
    There is nothing in the Indo report to indicate why?

    Based on the little detail in the report, it is, in my opinion, far more likely that the drink driving suspect was "roaring and shouting profane names" at the female Garda.

    I have NO sympathy for anyone caught drink driving.

    Do you have any sympathy for victims of criminal assault? Or do you believe that our current justice system should be replaced by uniformed vigilantism, and if so would you be happy to have yourself and those close to you subjected to it?


  • #95
    Potential-Monke
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 15,109 ✭✭✭✭Potential-Monke


    Turtyturd wrote: »
    Any guard convicted of an offence should get double the normal sentence. Job obviously attracts a certain type of person who likes having the power that goes with it, if they abuse it they should face more severe consequences...although getting them to face any consequences would be a start.

    Double standards. Going by your opinion, those who assault members of AGS should get double sentences, as they are not just attacking a Garda, they are attacking a person, Garda, and the State in doing so. But, people are rarely convicted of assaulting a Garda, as it's seen as part and parcel of the job, and something to be expected.

    That report is very sketchy on details of what happened in court, and what evidence (other than the mans word and a torn shirt) there was to convict the Garda. From that article it seems that the Judge took the word of the man over 5 Gardai. If that is the only evidence, it just goes to show that Judges will take the word of anyone over that of a Garda, which is further proof that criminals are getting preferred treatment (in normal, everyday cases).

    I'm not defending the Garda if he did indeed assault that man, but as others have pointed out, nothing in that article would convince me of an assault "beyond reasonable doubt" as is necessary in any criminal case. Unless further evidence comes to the public forum this will be thrown out on appeal. Just likes thousands of other cases.


  • #96
    RustyNut
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,427 ✭✭✭RustyNut


    Potential-Monke wrote: »
    Double standards. Going by your opinion, those who assault members of AGS should get double sentences, as they are not just attacking a Garda, they are attacking a person, Garda, and the State in doing so. But, people are rarely convicted of assaulting a Garda, as it's seen as part and parcel of the job, and something to be expected.

    That report is very sketchy on details of what happened in court, and what evidence (other than the mans word and a torn shirt) there was to convict the Garda. From that article it seems that the Judge took the word of the man over 5 Gardai. If that is the only evidence, it just goes to show that Judges will take the word of anyone over that of a Garda, which is further proof that criminals are getting preferred treatment (in normal, everyday cases).

    I'm not defending the Garda if he did indeed assault that man, but as others have pointed out, nothing in that article would convince me of an assault "beyond reasonable doubt" as is necessary in any criminal case. Unless further evidence comes to the public forum this will be thrown out on appeal. Just likes thousands of other cases.

    I'm sure the judge was presented with all the details,not just some shoddy newspaper artical.
    Would this Garda's association not have provided him with the best defence available and still a judge sees fit to convict him and criticise his collegues.


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  • #97
    gctest50
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 9,534 ✭✭✭gctest50


    Potential-Monke wrote: »
    Double standards. Going by your opinion, those who assault members of AGS should get double sentences, as they


    It'd be a little more like this instead of double standards ? :

    "The drink drive limit, which is coming down in line with European levels, will see the current limit drop from 80 milligrams (mg) to 50 milligrams (mg) for all drivers and from 80 milligrams (mg) to 20 milligrams (mg) for learner, newly qualified drivers (for a period of two years after passing the driving test) and professional drivers such as bus, goods vehicle and public service vehicle drivers (PSV)."
    http://irishtaxi.org/forum/index.php/topic,16430.0.html


  • #98
    Potential-Monke
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 15,109 ✭✭✭✭Potential-Monke


    RustyNut wrote: »
    I'm sure the judge was presented with all the details,not just some shoddy newspaper artical.
    Would this Garda's association not have provided him with the best defence available and still a judge sees fit to convict him and criticise his collegues.

    That's what i'm saying, would love to have all the facts to fairly comment on the case. Typical Irish journalism just putting out the most shocking "facts". As for the GRA, yes, they would have had someone represent him. As for the quality, i don't know, but it's not unknown for members to get their own solicitors/barristers.
    gctest50 wrote: »
    It'd be a little more like this instead of double standards ? :

    I'm confused, please link your quote with what i was referring to (ie: Garda gets double time for committing offence, criminal gets double time for an offence on a Garda). Unless you meant double standards towards different "classes" of drivers. Which has nothing to do with what i was on about.


  • #99
    hatrickpatrick
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 17,798 ✭✭✭✭hatrickpatrick


    I'm pretty sure in this case there was a lot more evidence than just one person's word against another, maybe just not all of it is public info yet.
    GSOC don't tend to open public interest investigations of their own accord unless they have serious reasons for doing so.


  • #100
    My name is URL
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 25,626 ✭✭✭✭My name is URL


    wyndhurst wrote: »
    Why has Judge Mitchell taken the word of Derek Bradley over 4 Gardai?
    There is nothing in the Indo report to indicate why?

    Is there anything in the report that indicates that his word was taken above that of 4 Gardai?

    It's a bit vague in its wording tbh. They say he was shouting abuse on the night but from what I can tell none of them actually disputed the claims made against them in court.


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