A young man lost his life over a foolish mistake

ryan101 · 08-05-2014 08:18PM

eviltwin wrote: »

Reading between the lines he took his own life over the stress of the court case. Yes its very sad but he was in that position because of his own actions. Everyone makes mistakes but the hotel was out of pocket for a large amount of money so I can understand why they took him to court. But its a tragic outcome and my thoughts are with his family.

Read the press reports.

This was not some scumbag that done it for kicks.

The Guy blacked out after a drinking session and had no idea what he had done, he was wandering around naked on the upper floors and someone had to find him underwear. The Hotel would be well insured. Mr Gaffney was fined 5,500. The Judge was quite sympathetic towards him. The poor lad took the whole thing very very badly. He was extremely remorseful.

meoklmrk91 · 08-05-2014 08:20PM

Look it, he did something really stupid when he was out of it drunk, that this affected him so deeply says that he was a decent person who felt real remorse for his actions, it's a pity someone didn't see how hard he was taking it they might have been able to put things into perspective and he might still be here, while what he did was serious and it obviously changed the course of his life, it wasn't worth him taking his life over, poor fecker

Being drunk isn't an excuse, but I think it's fair to say the justice system isn't there for people like him, he felt genuinely terrible about what he did, there was no malice there, I know what he did was wrong but there are people who do far worse and never feel a moments remorse, like I said a bit of perspective might have saved his life, he must have felt really dreadful to do that. His poor family must be in bits.

The Backwards Man · 08-05-2014 08:21PM

Nino Brown wrote: »

How can anybody suggest that it was wrong to "name and shame" him. He committed a criminal act, and should be treated the same as anybody else, he wasn't a minor, so there was no reason to not name him. The fact he subsequently died doesn't suddenly make it wrong to treat him the same as everybody else.
It's a pity he died, but he committed a crime, and was given a very fair punishment. If you go out and drink more than you can handle, then commit a crime, you will be prosecuted, and have your name published. if you don't think that's fair, then don't drink more than you can handle.

Do you believe that criminals should be hung, drawn and quartered by the public after their crime has been dealt with by the courts? Doesn't seem much like justice to me.

WoollyRedHat · 08-05-2014 08:22PM

The guy was dealt with through the courts and now this. I don't think it is approrpiriate for people to passing judgement on this thread.

Ellie2008 · 08-05-2014 08:22PM

Nino Brown wrote: »

How can anybody suggest that it was wrong to "name and shame" him. He committed a criminal act, and should be treated the same as anybody else, he wasn't a minor, so there was no reason to not name him. The fact he subsequently died doesn't suddenly make it wrong to treat him the same as everybody else.
It's a pity he died, but he committed a crime, and was given a very fair punishment. If you go out and drink more than you can handle, then commit a crime, you will be prosecuted, and have your name published. if you don't think that's fair, then don't drink more than you can handle.

I respect your opinion but in my view it was wrong. What s the point in it, so we can all have a good stare and our chance to heap scorn on a v remorseful man?! To sell papers? I can't see how publishing that story was in the public interest, he made a drunken mistake, the court fined him, end of as far as I'm concerned.

Skid X · 08-05-2014 08:22PM

Ellie2008 wrote: »

I'm not trying to argue that they shouldn't have taken him to court, I'm wondering why once said court had made its decision so many people got trigger happy with a keyboard and targeted a v remorseful man. He did the crime and paid the price the court felt was appropriate in the circumstances. Why his picture all over the papers? Why the mean comments? What does that say about us as a society?

So what do you suggest? Stop reporting criminal trials?

Sorry for the man and his family but you don't know what was going on in his head before, during or after his trial. Nobody knows why he decided on the actions he took after his conviction.

shamrock55 · 08-05-2014 08:23PM

Does anyone know why they didnt just turn of the fire hydrant long before the place flooded??

Ellie2008 · 08-05-2014 08:24PM

WoollyRedHat wrote: »

The guy was dealt with through the courts and now this. I don't think it is approrpiriate for people to passing judgement on this thread.

Thank you!! The reason I started this thread was because I can't understand how people feel the need to. It would appear he took his own life and people are still doing it?!

ryan101 · 08-05-2014 08:26PM

shamrock55 wrote: »

Does anyone know why they didnt just turn of the fire hydrant long before the place flooded??

It was probably a 4" main running at full bore, with the blanking cap removed and running the in the middle of the night. It would just take seconds to do, fire hydrants by their very nature have to be easy to operate. By the time it was discovered, never mind shut off I'd say the damage was well done. The water ran through 8 floors and the hotel had to be evacuated.

Donkey Oaty · 08-05-2014 08:27PM

Deco99 wrote: »

Just to those who go on about the damage and drunken paddy stuff. He went to bed and got up and went out in hallway and urinated then went into stairwell and set off hydrant. When the firefighters found him he didnt remember a thing. Sounds like sleepwalking after drink to me. Can happen anyone.

The way some people are talking about it, you'd swear he'd planned it for weeks.

Nino Brown · 08-05-2014 08:27PM

The Backwards Man wrote: »

Do you believe that criminals should be hung, drawn and quartered by the public after their crime has been dealtvwith by the courts? Doesn't seem much like justice to me.

Don't be so over dramatic, he wasn't hung drawn and quartered. His actions were reported by the press, this caused him embarrassment, but tough sh!t. It's a tragedy that he died, but there is nobody to blame here but himself. Crimes are reported in every paper every day, and there's one very simple way of making sure your name doesn't appear...

eviltwin · 08-05-2014 08:28PM

Ellie2008 wrote: »

I'm not trying to argue that they shouldn't have taken him to court, I'm wondering why once said court had made its decision so many people got trigger happy with a keyboard and targeted a v remorseful man. He did the crime and paid the price the court felt was appropriate in the circumstances. Why his picture all over the papers? Why the mean comments? What does that say about us as a society?

I agree, its not news and shouldn't have been printed imo. It just adds to the stress of his family who are dealing with enough right now but its the Indo, its a rag so I wouldn't expect anything better from them.

eviltwin · 08-05-2014 08:29PM

ryan101 wrote: »

Read the press reports.

This was not some scumbag that done it for kicks.

The Guy blacked out after a drinking session and had no idea what he had done, he was wandering around naked on the upper floors and someone had to find him underwear. The Hotel would be well insured. Mr Gaffney was fined 5,500. The Judge was quite sympathetic towards him. The poor lad took the whole thing very very badly. He was extremely remorseful.

And???

Being out of your head on drink or drugs is no excuse, if you can't trust yourself to behave in a responsible way then don't drink to excess.

Ellie2008 · 08-05-2014 08:29PM

Skid X wrote: »

So what do you suggest? Stop reporting criminal trials?

Sorry for the man and his family but you don't know what was going on in his head before, during or after his trial. Nobody knows why he decided on the actions he took after his conviction.

Well, publish the story, why publish his name? He was not a menace to society so I for one didn't need to know it.

No I don't it's an assumption I'm making in the circumstances, I could be wrong but it doesn't take away from my point about needless naming and shaming.

ryan101 · 08-05-2014 08:30PM

Nino Brown wrote: »

Don't be so over dramatic, he wasn't hung drawn and quartered. His actions were reported by the press, this caused him embarrassment, but tough sh!t. It's a tragedy that he died, but there is nobody to blame here but himself. Crimes are reported in every paper every day, and there's one very simple way of making sure your name doesn't appear...

Quite the opposite of a scum bag, the guy effectively died of remorse, what if it was your relative or friend ?

Banjo String · 08-05-2014 08:30PM

eviltwin wrote: »

Reading between the lines he took his own life over the stress of the court case. Yes its very sad but he was in that position because of his own actions. Everyone makes mistakes but the hotel was out of pocket for a large amount of money so I can understand why they took him to court. But its a tragic outcome and my thoughts are with his family.

The hotel was insured I'd imagine, financial loss is absolutely no comparison to the loss of a loved one.

I read that article yesterday, then I reread it, the hotel and general area would be familiar to me.

Anyway, in the few times I read it I did not see any indication that he turned the hose on in malice or in purpose. What I got from the story was a lad who had too many ales, fell asleep awoke in a drunken stupor, and (we dont know how) turned on a fire hydrant.

Quite sad to see the usual finger pointing and high horsing around the place.

ryan101 · 08-05-2014 08:31PM

eviltwin wrote: »

And???

Being out of your head on drink or drugs is no excuse, if you can't trust yourself to behave in a responsible way then don't drink to excess.

Read the reports again, he didn't use it as an excuse, that's what happened.

sasta le · 08-05-2014 08:31PM

I say died over breaking up

eviltwin · 08-05-2014 08:32PM

ryan101 wrote: »

Read the reports again, he didn't use it as an excuse, that's what happened.

So what? Do you think the hotel shouldn't have brought him to court over it? Lets face it, if this guy hadn't taken his own life there would be little sympathy for him.

08-05-2014 08:34PM

Sad story. Was reading about it yesterday and then found out he died today.

It sounded like he was in a blackout when he turned the hydrant on, woke up and went for a wander and obviously did what he did.

Definately wouldn't berate someone for a mistake like that. I actually thought he got away fairly lightly with a 10k fine but the whole stress of the whole thing was too much. Obviously the chap was in turmoil inside and took his life. Very sad for his family and friends.

ryan101 · 08-05-2014 08:34PM

eviltwin wrote: »

So what? Do you think the hotel shouldn't have brought him to court over it? Lets face it, if this guy hadn't taken his own life there would be little sympathy for him.

The police brought him to court for criminal damage and the judge was very sympathetic.

"Chief Judge Michael Rozenes said despite the catastrophic consequences of his actions, it was hard to see where the evil lay in Gaffney’s conduct.

Judge Rozenes said Gaffney had been heavily intoxicated, but there was no malicious intent to cause damage to the hotel, and it was just a stupid act that he would never have contemplated had he been sober."

He admitted full liability, and was fined a total of $10,000
Untlike your typical Irish scum bag, this poor fellow effectively died of remorse.
What if it was your relative or friend ?

08-05-2014 08:35PM

eviltwin wrote: »

So what? Do you think the hotel shouldn't have brought him to court over it? Lets face it, if this guy hadn't taken his own life there would be little sympathy for him.

Who said the hotel shouldn't have taken him to the court?

Nino Brown · 08-05-2014 08:35PM

ryan101 wrote: »

Quite the opposite of a scum bag, the guy effectively died of remorse, what if it was your relative or friend ?

I'd be devastated, but I wouldn't blame the press.

Donkey Oaty · 08-05-2014 08:36PM

Some incredibly nasty comments on here.

This thread is about a guy who took his life.

Open another one about law enforcement in Australian hotels if you really give a flying fxck about that.

eviltwin · 08-05-2014 08:36PM

ryan101 wrote: »

The police brought him to court and the judge was very sympathetic.
He admitted full liability, and was fined a total of 5,500
What if it was your relative or friend ?

I would be totally heartbroken and I agree with those saying its not the worst thing in the world, we all make mistakes and nothing is worth losing a life over.

ryan101 · 08-05-2014 08:38PM

Nino Brown wrote: »

I'd be devastated, but I wouldn't blame the press.

Who exactly is blaming the press ?

Guy:Incognito · 08-05-2014 08:40PM

The Backwards Man wrote: »

I've stopped reading the comments below news sites. They just leave me angry, hurt, disappointed and with a strong desire to emigrate.

Then I remember that these trollish keyboard warriors, even though they seem to be in their thousands, are still in the tiny minority, and I pity their small minded, pathetic, hate filled lives.

I havnt read the comments but if he was alive and well and the story was just about him destroying the hotel then I doubt there'd be many sticking up for him. Him being dead doesn't change that .

ryan101 · 08-05-2014 08:41PM

Guy:Incognito wrote: »

I havnt read the comments but if he was alive and well and the story was just about him destroying the hotel then I doubt there'd be many sticking up for him. Him being dead doesn't change that .

The judge, to his credit, did.

"Chief Judge Michael Rozenes said despite the catastrophic consequences of his actions, it was hard to see where the evil lay in Gaffney’s conduct."

"Judge Rozenes said Gaffney had been heavily intoxicated, but there was no malicious intent to cause damage to the hotel, and it was just a stupid act that he would never have contemplated had he been sober."

Pat Mustard · 08-05-2014 08:42PM

As regards the drunkeness and the fine, I think people could get over that. If that's all it was.

This guy was subjected to a media witchhunt. That's the real problem here. Remember that innocent Trinity student who was accused of evading a taxi fare? He was all over YouTube and all over the newspapers.

We're all potentially subject to the same thing here. I could get distracted as I drive home, and have a car accident, injuring somebody. I could be in the newspaper. So could anybody.

These days, if you find yourself in the media spotlight, there's nowhere to go. There's nowhere to go where you could prevent your face being on the web for the next few centuries.

I think that this poor guy could have killed himself because of the shame he experienced due to media exposure. It's not like the 1980s, when a face might fade into obscurity after six months. Your face is potentially on the web forever.

I really think that we're going to see this sort of tragedy again, unless people have some proper protection from the media. By that I mean proper privacy laws.

Skid X · 08-05-2014 08:42PM

Ellie2008 wrote: »

Well, publish the story, why publish his name? He was not a menace to society so I for one didn't need to know it.

No I don't it's an assumption I'm making in the circumstances, I could be wrong but it doesn't take away from my point about needless naming and shaming.

If you get convicted of a crime, your name is in the public record. That's the way it always has been. I don't see any reason for that to change.

You have to take responsibility for your own actions. He is not dead because of what anyone said on the Internet.

A young man lost his life over a foolish mistake

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