
Man (50s) arrested on suspicion of human trafficking offences
A man in his 50s has been arrested in Co Monaghan on suspicion of human trafficking offences.
The arrest was made as part of an ongoing investigation into human trafficking for sexual exploitation and forced criminality.
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Gardaí attached to the Human Trafficking Investigation and Co-Ordination Unit at the Garda National Protective Services Bureau made the arrest this morning, Monday, June 9th.
The man is currently detained under Section 50 of the Criminal Justice Act, 1984, at a garda station in the northeastern region.
Gardaí have appealed to anyone who may be the victim of human trafficking for sexual exploitation to come forward and speak to them at any garda station in person or by phone, or by calling the freephone Garda Confidential Line at 1800 666 111.
Anyone who has information related to human trafficking for sexual or labour exploitation is also encouraged to contact gardaí.
Further information on human trafficking and sexual exploitation can be found at www.blueblindfold.ie.
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Daily Mail
an hour ago
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE Read attorney's absurd defense of taking a $300K taxpayer-funded salary while working on a CRUISE
A senior San Diego city attorney who was paid a $300,000 taxpayer-funded salary while working remotely on a luxury cruise liner for over three months boasted to colleagues that she was having an 'amazing' time, according to emails obtained exclusively by Daily Mail. Jean Jordan, Executive Assistant City Attorney for the fiercely Democratic Southern California city, spent 117 days traveling the oceans while exploring stunning destinations. She visited multiple exotic locales, including Africa, and spent three weeks in Europe, including Gibraltar - a British territory connected to Spain - and Italy, all while she was working; and reportedly accruing benefits and vacation time. The 65-year-old left on January 20 and was thousands of miles away on the other side of the globe from her office before returning on May 16, according to emails obtained through by Daily Mail through a public records request. After her controversial trip hit the headlines, internal emails from the City Attorney's office reveal Jordan messaged a city official on April 16: 'It is baffling to me that given all the things happening in the world-that this is front page news. Sigh!' And she gushed: 'On another note, trip has been amazing! We are having a grand time.' Jordan visited Africa and Europe, where she spent three weeks, with breaks in Gibraltar (pictured) and Italy as part of her exotic round-the-world adventure - all while she was working; reportedly being paid her salary and accrued full benefits, including vacation time She wrote to Stephen Cushman, a board member with the San Diego Housing Commission, after he had called critics questioning the integrity and optics of Jordan's trip 'a bunch of jealous yahoos.' Her boss, City Attorney Heather Ferbert, had previously insisted she was 'in constant communication' with Jordan despite her being on the high seas. But the internal communications reveal the remote work set-up was far from ideal, despite claims to the contrary. In fact, Jordan suffered multiple technology-related glitches and potential work-flow hurdles. She also admitted to being hobbled by the extreme difference in time zones making effective communication with co-workers difficult, including having to reschedule online conference meetings. She complained to several coworkers via emails, which sometimes included typos. 'The time difference is challenging,' Jordan griped to an assistant back in San Diego on March 6. 'Now that I am in this new time zone I am 13 hours apart. 'So in other words If it is 8:00 am you time it is -it is 9:00 p.m. my time. So for now the earlier in heather's the better for me. The meeting we have now for Friday is midnight my time.' And on March 13, she wrote to colleague Leslie FitzGerald: 'Miss talking with you. The time difference makes it hard. I will text you later and see if we can make a time work.' Jordan exchanged multiple emails with office 'Information Systems' specialist Kevin Westover over 'tech difficulties' and 'connectivity' issues, described as a 'problem.' They appeared desperate to fix on-going issues with using her Hewlett Packard laptop and various systems error messages. In one email, including typos, Westover asked: 'Hello Jean, your (sic) are still in Gibraltar? Is that considered Europe? Just trying to make sure that exception is on the list. Also, what type of error are you getting from the laptop while attempting to access SAP?' Jordan wrote: 'Hi Kevin, I cannot access again. I am in Gibraltar. I will be in Europe for the next three weeks.' She emailed him on March 26: 'I was in Gibraltar yesterday. We are on the way to Italy now and will remain in Europe for about 3 weeks. When I try to get into SAP it says 'This site can't be reached sharepoint may be down or it may have moved to a new web address.' Also, 'Can't seem to figure out how to get into success factors.' On the same day she wrote: 'I turned off Global Protect. It is working better now-but I cannot access SAP. 'I have turned off the computer several times. I turned off airplane mode and I tried to get into SAP and it says this site can't be reached.' With apparent mutual frustration, Westover responded, 'have you restarted the computer?' He also wrote: 'Can you verify you are connected to Global Protect and screenshot me the settings page from Global Protect.' Jordan explained: 'I was in Gibraltar yesterday. We are on the way to Italy now and will remain in Europe for about 3 weeks. When I try to get into SAP it says 'This site can't be reached sharepoint may be down or it may have moved to a new web address.' On the same day, March 26, Westover queried: 'Hmmmmm okay, do you even have access to internet.' Jordan wrote: 'I have rebooted computer several times. I looked up what that triangle means and it says it is a connectivity issue-something about authentication. Not sure what else to try.' She also sent him photo images of her laptop screen to help to try to resolve the issue. shots of her computer In a message to another colleague, with the subject 'BLocked,' Jordan announced: 'I cannot access again.' On March 18, she emailed yet another colleague 'I am unable to access SAP,' followed by a emoji frown face. The same day she had an email from the IT department telling her to reach out if she continued 'to have issues.' Remarkably, a clearly agitated Jordan found time to accuse a Daily Mail reporter of 'lying' in a curt April 17 email to Paola Avila, Chief of Staff to Mayor Todd Gloria, when contacted about her floating workspace. It followed a request for comment sent to Jordan on March 14 which prompted the following auto-reply: 'Thank you for your email. I am out of the office today April 14, 2025. I will not have access to email or voicemail. I will return April 15, 2025. lf you have an urgent matter please contact Leslie FitzGerald.' In an email to staff on April 15, Ferbert wrote of the 'benefits to the Office and the City when an employee is willing and able to complete their work remotely but has circumstances that may take them away from the physical office space for a limited amount of time.' Jordan was on her cruise away from the office for three and a half months. In the email, Ferbert glowingly described Jordan an 'experienced, well-respected professional who has served the City of San Diego in the City Attorney's Office for the past four years.' She noted that Jordan had planned to retire toward the end of 2024 and had pre-arranged her cruise but stayed on following Ferbert's appointment to the top post in November. Ferbert, a Democrat, had 'every confidence' that Jordan was 'completing her work well above the expectations set for all the attorneys.' Jordan is currently paid $282,651 per year and she was paid $239,000 a year prior to her recent promotion in, per the outlet. She was paid $155,000 in her previous job as attorney for Sutter County, north of Sacramento. According to her LinkedIn profile, Jordan is a 'Level 1' CrossFit trainer and has a real estate license. Marlea Dell'Anno, a former lawyer for the city, previously told Daily Mail: 'I can't tell you how many people have called me or emailed me about this. People are outraged!' 'I don't understand how as a leader you could ever think that's a good idea. 'How is the work getting done? You're talking about an executive and a taxpayer funded position. 'There's an expectation of being physically present to lead your team. 'Remote work has its place - but there's a significant difference between working from home and working from a global cruise. 'This stretches the definition of telework beyond what is reasonable.


Daily Mail
an hour ago
- Daily Mail
Family of girl 'sexually assaulted by Romanian teens' plead with Ballymena rioters to end violence as town braces for fourth night of chaos
The family of the girl who was allegedly sexually assaulted by Romanian teens, has pleaded with rioters in Ballymena to end the violence after three nights of chaos. Northern Ireland 's police chief Jon Boutcher said the young girl who was the victim of an alleged sexual assault in Ballymena at the weekend had been 'further traumatised' by the rioting that has been witnessed since Monday. The alleged sexual assault of the girl by Romanian teens triggered protests which descended into violence throughout the week. Mr Boutcher, who met with the girl's family on Thursday, delivered a stark message to the rioters as he spoke to the media in Belfast following a meeting with his oversight body, the Northern Ireland Policing Board. He said that 80 officers from Scotland were due to arrive today, as the town braces itself for a fourth night of rioting. It comes as three teenagers have appeared in court today in connection with riots this week. 'Stop this violence,' he said. 'We will come after you. We will arrest you. We will prosecute you successfully. It is not in any way a way for a civilised society to behave and it must stop now. 'I want to specifically mention the 41 police officers who've been injured. Each of those officers have put themselves in harm's way to protect our communities. 'And I want to send a very clear message to all our diverse communities: we stand absolutely shoulder to shoulder with you. We are here to protect you. 'We are your police service, and these bigots and racists will not win the day. This will be policed properly. We will deal with this - and we all know that in this room - but let's call an end to it now. 'This girl's family and this girl want it to end. Our communities want it to end. We need it to end. So please don't come out on the streets tonight. If you do, we will police you and we will deal with you through the criminal justice system. Mr Boutcher added that he would "always be concerned" the unrest would spread to other towns. Earlier, a judge warned that courts will deal 'robustly' with those involved in violence in Ballymena. District Judge Nigel Broderick warned that young people who got involved were risking a significant custodial sentence as three teenagers faced rioting charges at the town's magistrates' court on Thursday. Michael Elliot, 18, of Lanntara, Ballymena, and two youths were the first defendants to appear in court since the sustained violence erupted in the County Antrim town on Monday. The officer told the court that Elliott was arrested at 11.50pm on Tuesday night following an incident where a house on Bridge Street had been set on fire. The detective constable said it was originally believed the occupants were still inside the property. Elliott was detained after he was seen running from the scene, the court was told. He was wearing gloves and a balaclava, the court heard. During police interview he had made admissions to the offence of riotous assembly, the detective said. He told police during interview he had become involved in the disorder because others were involved and blamed the situation on police. The detective constable said there was 'strong public feeling' currently within Ballymena. He said police believed it is important that courts send out a 'strong message'. He said if the court did not, there was a risk of further disorder that could lead to 'death or serious injury' for foreign nationals living in Ballymena. A defence solicitor said his client's involvement was limited to 'throwing stones'. The district judge told Elliott he was a young man who now found himself in the dock in court. He said the court would deal 'robustly' with those where there was evidence they were involved in the disorder. The judge refused an application for bail. He said: 'Your case should be an example to others who are considering getting involved in further public disorder.' The judge said there was a high likelihood that those who were charged over rioting would be refused bail and would face a significant custodial sentence if convicted. He remanded Elliott in custody until July 10. A 15-year-old boy and a 17-year-old boy also appeared in the dock charged with riotous assembly and criminal damage. Both were rejected bail and remanded to appear at a youth court on June 18. The riotous behaviour saw vandalism, vehicles burned and arson attacks on a number of properties across several towns. Forty-one officers have been injured in the unrest which has also resulted in 13 arrests by lunchtime on Thursday. Petrol bombs, fireworks, masonry and a hatchet were among items thrown at officers over the three nights of disorder. Police responded with with water cannon, dogs and plastic baton rounds in an attempt to disperse crowds in the town. PSNI chief Mr Boutcher said the initial lawful and legitimate process before unrest broke out was done in a way that was responsible and empathetic to the victim. However, he said the protest was subsequently 'hijacked' and turned into 'wanton, disgraceful criminal behaviour that is absolutely race motivated'. The chief said the service was under-resourced and needed to be funded 'properly' rather than 'disgracefully'. However, he said his officers would still bring people to justice: 'We've put our public order inquiry team together, we'll be releasing images of those responsible. We will be going after them.' The head officer described how PSNI members helped evacuate foreign national families who were hiding in attics and wardrobes in their homes in Ballymena as rioters went on the rampage on Monday night. He said the families targeted had done nothing wrong. 'They are not criminals. They contribute positively to society here and are well integrated,' he said. 'They are valued members of society in Northern Ireland. 'Fire Service colleagues described how they went to the scenes to stop arson attacks at those addresses, and how they, in all their years in the Fire Service, have not seen levels of violence to that level, and told me specifically and directly of the bravery, the courage of a very thin green line of police officers that without doubt, in my view, saved lives that night.' Secretary of State Hilary Benn described the scenes as 'mindless racist thuggery' while Stormont Justice Minister Naomi Long said it has been a 'three-day festival of hate and destruction' which needs to stop before someone loses their life. Thirty minutes from Ballymena, a leisure centre in Larne was subjected to arson after temporarily being used as an emergency shelter for those in urgent need following disturbances in the town earlier in the week. Communities Minister Gordon Lyons, who highlighted the use of the building in a social media post, said all those who had been staying at the leisure centre are in the care of the Housing Executive and have been moved out of Larne. Northern Ireland's First Minister Michelle O'Neill said Mr Lyons should resign over his social media post while the leader of the opposition in the Northern Ireland Assembly SDLP MLA Matthew O'Toole said he would refer the Communities Minister to the standards commission. Mr Benn also asked the minister to 'reflect upon his words' and 'not upon his position'. Mr Lyons has resisted calls for his resignation and said he would 'strongly hit back at any notion' that he had publicly revealed the facility was being used to house immigrant families who had been affected by violence in Ballymena.


The Independent
4 hours ago
- The Independent
History is repeating itself in my hometown and it's terrifying to watch
Once, when I was a teenager, I was in a Spar in Ballymena when a man walked in and announced he would burn the shop to the ground if it didn't close immediately. My sister and I did not hesitate. Like everyone else, we believed him – and fled. We had been intending to dash in to the store for just a few minutes to stock up on essentials, amid fears of a long few days ahead of us as rioting broke out across Northern Ireland in the 1990s over Drumcree. So it's terrifying to watch violence unfold in my hometown again, as we have over recent nights. Around a 30-minute drive from Belfast, although it occasionally felt like further, Ballymena is often dubbed the buckle of the 'bible belt' of Northern Ireland, surprising visitors with the number of churches that line its streets. A DUP heartland, its MP was for many decades the firebrand preacher the Rev Ian Paisley, who used to secure huge parliamentary majorities, often winning one in every two votes cast. Its status as a prosperous market town in the middle of Northern Ireland, its name literally means 'middle town', helped during the long years of the Troubles. It is the home of Northern Ireland's first Sainsbury's, opened not long before the Good Friday Agreement, giving me a weekend bakery job – which occassionally included putting the jam in jam doughnuts – one of hundreds of jobs it brought to the town, as well as a company slogan "A fresh approach" that we hoped matched the times. That prosperity is one of the reasons that the town attracted immigrants in the years after the peace process proved a lasting success – migrants who are now the subject of horrific violence. In one video shared online, a woman tells the rioters: 'Be careful, lads', followed by a man telling her there were people living in one of the houses being attacked. She replied: 'Aye, but are they local? If they're local, they need out. If they're not local, let them f****** stay there.' Like everywhere in Northern Ireland, Ballymena has suffered its share of atrocities in the past. In 2006 a 15-year-old Catholic boy was beaten to death in an attack that started outside the local cinema, not all that far from where the latest riots erupted this week. The Harryville part of the town, where hundreds of people gathered this week, was the scene of loyalist protests for years against the presence of a Catholic church in a strongly Protestant area in the late 1990s. In December 1996, a 300-strong contingent of police in riot gear was needed to ensure local people were able to attend Mass, as an article for The Independent recorded at the time. And, of course, violence erupted over Drumcree, a long-running conflict about a Protestant Orange Order march in Portadown. After the incident in the Spar, my family stayed home for days, watching events unfold on the news, part of an unofficial night-time curfew that saw thousands of people lock themselves down decades before any of us had ever heard of Covid. On a separate summer I spent a mini-break in Brussels – won, bizarrely, as part of my school's quiz team – holed up in a hotel room with three fellow pupils, watching helplessly on CNN as riots erupted at home. When we landed back in Belfast International airport late at night, the violence had become so widespread we faced a difficult and potentially treacherous journey getting home. At one point we were stopped by police just as our car came face to face with an overturned and burnt out bus. That was in 1998, when the riots did not stop until the appalling murders of three young brothers in a loyalist arson attack in Ballymoney, about 20 miles from Ballymena. Hopefully it will not take a tragedy like that for the violence to end this time. More about Ballymena Northern Ireland Ian Paisley Belfast