Crime « Thurles Information

80 People Dead On Irish Roads During Quarter One Of 2024.

So far this year, (during quarter one of 2024), 80 people have lost their lives on Irish roads, sadly the worst record in a decade.

Over the bank holiday weekend, up until 7:00am this morning [June 3rd], 137 motorists have been arrested for intoxicated driving.

On the M7 near Nenagh, Co Tipperary, An Garda Síochána set up a road safety checkpoint, using number plate recognition technology, as well as their mobility application; targeting vehicles approaching their checkpoint, which saw officers arrested one man on suspicion of committing an offence under the Road Traffic Act.
During this check, dozens of motorists were breathalysed to identify those who may have had alcohol or drugs in their system.

Gardaí are currently looking at implementing a system whereby motorists with dash camera footage of road traffic offences, will be able to upload same footage to an online portal system, thus allowing Gardaí to check and possibly use same in road traffic prosecutions.

Circuit Court Judge, Teacher, State Solicitor & Tipperary FF Councillor Jailed.

Former Thurles born Circuit Court Judge, teacher, Tipperary State Solicitor and Tipperary Fianna Fáil Councillor, Mr Gerard O’Brien has today been sentenced to four years in jail for the sexual assault of six boys, some 30 years previously.

Mr Gerard O’Brien, aged 59 years, had been a secondary school teacher Tipperary State Solicitor, and later a Fianna Fáil Tipperary Councillor, before subsequently becoming a judge.

He had been found guilty of one count of attempted rape and eight counts of sexual assault; which took place between 1991 and 1997, when the victims were aged between 17 and 24 years old. Four of the six boys were students or former students at that time from his school, Christian Brothers College (CBC) Monkstown, in south Co. Dublin.
Mr O’Brien was in his late twenties and early thirties at the time when these offences were committed. He had initially denied all the allegations, but was found guilty by a jury last December 2023.

The presiding judge stated that Mr O’Brien had misused his disability to take advantage of his victims, thus engaging in predatory behaviour and the jury had no doubt that he had manipulated matters to give him the opportunity to engage in these activities.

Mr O’Brien was born with the rare congenital condition, known as Phocomelia, which has resulted in him being born with no arms and only one leg; same injuries brought on by the congenital anomaly of the drug Thalidomide, brought into prominence as a characteristic side effect of the use of the drug, used during pregnancy. The court heard that O’Brien needed assistance dressing and undressing and visiting the toilet. To this end, Judge Alexander Owens had delayed sentencing in order to hear from prison authorities regarding the measures they could put in place to deal with O’Brien’s disabilities.

Prosecuting counsel Ms Anne-Marie Lawlor said O’Brien had developed inappropriate relationships with students, which involved giving them alcohol and taking them to the pub. The court heard there was a culture of excessive alcohol use around the school at the time.

Tipperary Not Included In Initial Rollout Of Garda Body-Worn Cameras.

Pilot phase of Garda body-worn cameras commences in Dublin, with Waterford and Limerick to follow.
Gardaí will upload footage at the end of each shift to assist in safe policing and evidence gathering.
Pilot phase will inform rollout across the country.

Frontline Gardaí have commenced the use of body-worn cameras, following the enactment of the Gardaí Síochána (Recording Devices) Act 2023. Garda Commissioner, Mr Drew Harris attended Store Street Garda station in Dublin’s North Inner-city today to launch the pilot phase of body-worn cameras for frontline Gardaí.

The pilot – or ‘proof-of-concept’ – phase will take place in Dublin, followed by Limerick and Waterford, with body-worn cameras being introduced in the following locations:-
DMR South Central, Pearse Street Garda Station, Kevin Street Garda Station, Dublin.
DMR North Central, Store Street Garda Station, Dublin.
Waterford Division, Waterford Garda Station.
Limerick Garda Division, Henry Street Garda Station.

Note: It is fair to assume that with body-worn cameras going immediately to three locations in Dublin City, sadly same indicates an area not being properly governed and not obedient to Irish Republican laws.

The Government is committed to providing An Garda Síochána with the resources they need; reflected in the allocation of €2.3 billion of taxpayers money in Budget 2024. This ensures every member of An Garda Síochána is equipped with the latest technology to keep every community across the country safe.

Garda Commissioner Drew Harris said: “The ability of An Garda Síochána to securely acquire and process digital evidence is a key feature of modern policing. This morning’s launch of a proof of concept for Body Worn Cameras and the supporting Digital Evidence Management System (DEMS) is an important milestone for An Garda Síochána towards the implementation of Information-Led Policing.
Body Worn Cameras, supported by the underlying legislation, technology and training, will act as an important evidentiary tool.
International experience has also shown that body-worn cameras will increase safety for Gardaí and the public.
Now, through this proof of concept, we will be able to refine our systems and processes for Body Worn Cameras based on experience and feedback.”

The Garda Síochána (Recording Devices) Act 2023 was signed into law last December. The Act provides for body-worn cameras, Garda CCTV, automatic number plate recognition, and Community CCTV.

Each body-worn camera can record footage to its own internal encrypted storage, which will be uploaded when the Garda docks the camera in a Garda station. Body-worn camera footage is uploaded at the end of a shift so it can be used as evidence at court or is deleted after an agreed time period if it’s not required as evidence.

Criminal Assets Bureau Search Locations In Co. Tipperary.

Today May 30th, the Criminal Assets Bureau (CAB), assisted by Gardaí; involving 150 personnel, conducted searches at some 20 locations across counties Tipperary, Limerick, Clare, Dublin and Mayo.

During the searches, 27 motor vehicles were seized, together with €218,000 in cash; six Rolex watches; five jet-skis’; two rigid inflatable boats; Louis Vuitton bags, various electronic devices, suspected cocaine and paper records including financial documentation.

One person was arrested in connection with the seizure of the suspected cocaine and remains detained at a Limerick city Garda station.

The operation was conducted as part of an ongoing investigation into individuals linked to a Munster-based organised crime grouping.

The operation targeted persons which CAB believe is involved in laundering the proceeds of organised crime, through outlets including the second hand motor trade, real estate purchases, property developments and the purchase of high value goods.
In a statement, Gardaí confirm that today’s operation marks a significant development in CAB’s continuing “Proceeds of Crime” investigation.

Sentencing Of Thurles Circuit Court Judge, Guilty Of Sexual Abuse, Adjourned.

A former Thurles Circuit Court judge, due to be sentenced today for the sexual abuse of six young men, some 30 years ago, has had the case adjourned, yet again, before Ms Justice Eileen Creedon, until Friday of this week.

Mr Gerard O’Brien, aged 59 years, of the School House, Slievenamon Road, Thurles, Co Tipperary, had been convicted in December 2023 last, at the Central Criminal Court on one count of attempted anal rape and eight counts of sexual assault, relating to all six victims.

The offences were understood to have occurred at locations in Dublin, between March 1991 and November 1997, during a time when Mr O’Brien was employed as a teacher at Christian Brothers College, Monkstown, Co. Dublin.

His victims; four of whom were students or former students, were then aged between 17 and 24 and same had previously indicated they wished for O’Brien to be named publicly, while maintaining their own personal anonymity.

Mr Justice Alexander Owens had previously indicated, that his provisional view was that he would impose a custodial sentence on Mr O’Brien and had sought a report from the Irish Prison Services in relation to the facilities which would be available to O’Brien, before remanding him on continuing bail until today.

O’Brien had pleaded not guilty to all the allegations. The former teacher; Tipperary Fianna Fáil Councillor and Circuit Court judge (appointed to the latter post in 2015), resigned as a judge in January 2024.