Donal Fallon: The Dublin Metropolitan Police's chequered history, from lassoing an escaped bull to lethal beatings
The city's police force, which merged with An Garda Síochána 100 years ago, was celebrated for its bravery, but its image was tarnished by its violent approach in the 1913 Lockout
This weekend puts a new festival on the calendar in Ireland. The Kilkenny Law Festival will look at subjects ranging from the dismantling of literary censorship to Ireland's evolving libel laws.
On Saturday, I will be in conversation with Superintendent Paul Maher, a historian of An Garda Síochána, marking the centenary of the force's merger with the Dublin Metropolitan Police (DMP). The law, of course, is enforced by the police as much as the courts.
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Extra.ie
3 hours ago
- Extra.ie
Man arrested on suspicion of murdering Annie McCarrick
A man has been arrested on suspicion of murdering Annie McCarrick, who disappeared more than three decades ago. Ms McCarrick, who was 26 at the time of her disappearance, had lived in Ireland after moving to Dublin from the USA in 1993. She was last seen alive on March 26, 1993, and was reported missing two days later, with her case being upgraded to a murder investigation on the 30th anniversary of her disappearance. On Thursday (June 12), Gardaí have confirmed that a man in his 60s was arrested in connection with Ms McCarrick's murder, while a search in Clondalkin, Dublin 22 has commenced. A man has been arrested on suspicion of murdering Annie McCarrick, who disappeared more than three decades ago. Pic: 'Gardaí investigating the disappearance and murder of Annie McCarrick in March 1993 have this morning arrested a male on suspicion of her murder,' a statement from Gardaí said. 'The male aged in his 60' is detained under the provisions of Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act 1984 at a Garda Station in Dublin. 'Investigating Gardaí are today commencing a search operation at a residence in Clondalkin, Dublin 22. Elements of that house and garden will be searched and subject of both technical and forensic examinations. 'The current residents of this home are not connected in anyway with Annie McCarrick or her disappearance.' Ms McCarrick disappeared in March 1993, with her case being upgraded to murder on her 30th anniversary. Pic: Garda Press Office 'The arrest and search operation is being led by an investigation team from the DMR South Central Division, Serious Crime Unit based at Irishtown Garda Station under the direction of a Senior Investigating Officer and with the assistance of the Serious Crime Review Team, Garda National Bureau of Criminal Investigation. 'The search is being carried out by the DMR South Central divisional search team supported by the Garda National Technical Bureau. An Garda Síochána has and will continue to keep the family of Annie McCarrick fully updated in relation to this investigation. They have been fully appraised of today's developments.' Pic: An Garda Síochána An Garda Síochána appeal to anyone with information, no matter how small or insignificant that they might believe it to be, to contact with the investigation team. Gardaí also appeal to anyone that may have previously come forward but who felt that they could not provide Gardaí with all of the relevant information they had in relation to this matter, to please make contact with An Garda Síochána again.' The investigation team can be contacted at Irishtown Garda Station on 01 666 9600 or anyone who wishes to provide information confidentially should contact the Garda Confidential Line: 1800 666 111.
Irish Times
6 hours ago
- Irish Times
Evan Fitzgerald case: How ‘controlled deliveries' are used in Garda sting operations
The 'controlled delivery' of illicit items – which can include drugs and guns – is used frequently by gardaí, especially when trying to catch people attempting to import drugs into the Republic. While it is rarely spoken of, mainly because gardaí want to keep their trade craft secret, it was aired very publicly this week at an Oireachtas justice committee. Garda Commissioner Drew Harris confirmed Evan Fitzgerald, the armed 22-year-old who took his own life in a Carlow shopping centre on the June bank holiday weekend, had been charged with gun crimes after a 'controlled delivery' of firearms last year. On that occasion, gardaí received a tip-off from international policing agency Interpol that unidentified parties in Ireland were active on the darknet trying to buy guns. Gardaí acted on that intelligence, going on to the darknet and offering guns to the suspects. A face-to-face meeting was later arranged, with the guns and money exchanged. Mr Fitzgerald, who did not realise he was dealing with undercover gardaí running a sting operation , was arrested. The guns were two firearms that were in Garda stores and had been decommissioned. READ MORE Mr Fitzgerald was charged with four offences: possession of a machine gun and pistol and two different ammunition types. A search of an address linked to him yielded a variety of ammunition and powers to make explosive devices, resulting in nine other charges. [ Carlow gunman disclosure set to lead to scrutiny of An Garda Síochána Opens in new window ] The case was unusual in that the source of the guns – the person who offered them for sale on the darknet – was actually an undercover detective. Both techniques – controlled deliveries and police officers posing as criminals – are used by international law enforcement. They are also included in the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organised Crime. The UN defines organised crime as three or more people working together to commit at least one serious crime punishable by at least four years in jail and from which they derive financial or material gain. A controlled delivery occurs when illegal items are detected – usually in the postal system or in freight – on their way to the person trying to procure them. The authorities take control of the delivery in order to catch the person the items are destined for. In Ireland, this includes undercover gardaí dressing as postal workers, or couriers, to make a delivery and then arrest a suspect. [ Undercover gardaí supplied Carlow gunman with firearms and ammunition, Oireachtas hears Opens in new window ] The UN also deals specifically with policing techniques in which undercover officers effectively insert themselves into a crime in the planning. It says the crime should be in the planning before the police get involved. If a police officer 'originated the idea of the crime and induced the accused to engage in it' this would be used as grounds for defence in some jurisdictions'. A range of Garda sting operations have been reported in Ireland, including gardaí posing as drug users and even as criminals selling drugs or guns. In 2017, Ahmed Ayadi, then aged 25 years and with an address in the Lawn, Boden Park, Rathfarnham, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possessing a 9mm calibre Glock semi-automatic pistol in suspicious circumstances. Gardaí learned he was involved in the drug trade and that he wanted to buy a gun. Undercover gardaí posed as criminals selling guns. He chose a Glock, paying €450. As he left the transaction location, his car was stopped and he was arrested and charged. He was jailed for five years and also admitted possessing drugs. [ 'The country is going to the dogs': How agitators exploited the Carlow shooting Opens in new window ] In 2013, Operation Trident saw undercover gardaí infiltrate the drug gang run by Dubliner Freddie Thompson, who became a significant figure in the Kinahan cartel's Irish operation, running it for a time. The undercover gardaí were given new identities and even moved into properties in the Crumlin area, buying and selling drugs and being arrested to help them infiltrate the gang – all with close co-operation between the Garda and the Director of Public Prosecutions. However, after some details of the operation appeared in the media, the operation was cancelled and five undercover gardaí were withdrawn, though 29 suspects were arrested on the basis of their work. In 2013 a CIÉ bus driver – Sunny Idah, then aged 36 – was jailed for 13 years. He was trying to recruit people to smuggle cocaine from Brazil to Ireland by swallowing the drugs. Two undercover gardaí posed as would-be couriers and when they recorded Idah – with addresses at Lipton Court, Dublin – offering them €5,000 to take on the task, he was charged.
Agriland
a day ago
- Agriland
Gardaí in Co. Donegal investigating theft of horse
Gardaí in Donegal are investigating the theft of a Boulonnais horse from a field in Ture, Muff, Co. Donegal. According to An Garda Síochána, the incident took place between 5:00p.m on Saturday, May 31, and 10:00 a.m on Sunday, June 1. Gardaí have described the horse as white, three years old, 16 hands in height, and with anchor branding on its neck. A spokesperson for An Garda Síochána said: 'Anyone with information or the whereabouts of the horse, or who may come across it for sale, is asked to contact Buncrana Garda Station on 074 9320540 or the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111. In a separate incident, Gardaí are also investigating an incident at Gort na Rí, Kilmacrennan, Co. Donegal. The incident occurred at around 12:15 a.m yesterday, June 10, involving a red and black scrambler motorbike with two males on board. A spokesperson for An Garda Síochána said: 'Anyone with camera footage, including dash-cam, in the area between 11:30p.m on June 9, and 12:30a.m on June 10 is asked to contact Milford Garda Station on 074 9153060 or the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111. Gardaí Separately, last week (June 4) a tractor driver who was spotted by gardaí using a mobile phone while driving on the main street of a Co. Kildare town received a fine and points. According to An Garda Síochána Kildare, one of their team – on mountain bike patrol – saw the tractor driver using a mobile phone while driving on the main street of Naas. The driver received a €120 fine and three penalty points were issued under a Fixed Charge Penalty Notice (FCPN). In a post on social media, An Garda Síochána Kildare said: 'Distracted driving is dangerous – keep your eyes on the road, not on your phone'. According to the Road Safety Authority (RSA), it is an offence to hold a mobile phone in your hand or support it with another part of your body, e.g., between your head and shoulder, while driving. The RSA has also highlighted that anyone caught using their mobile phone while driving will receive a fixed charge of €120, and three penalty points. However if a driver fails to pay the €120 fine, this increases to a fixed charge of €180 after 28 days, and five penalty points, on conviction, are also applied.
