Crime « Thurles Information

Irish Government Notes Decision On UK Statutory Inquiry Into Omagh Bombing.

“An appalling act of savagery and evil.”

Quote – Former British Prime Minister Mr Tony Blair.

The Minister for Justice, Mr Simon Harris, has today, noted the decision by the UK Government to establish a Statutory Inquiry on foot of the judgment in the Belfast High Court.

Minister Harris said: “What happened at Omagh was an unspeakable and brutal act of cruelty. The terrorists who carried it out had simply no sense of humanity and they displayed a complete and shocking disregard for life itself. It is they who carry responsibility for this brutal act.
We will never forget those who lost their lives, those who were injured and the families whose suffering for their loved ones continues.
The Irish Government is deeply conscious of the enduring suffering and hardship that survivors of Troubles-related attacks bear. The Government has always sought to acknowledge and address the legitimate needs and expectations of victims’ families and survivors of Troubles-related attacks.
It is the case, of course, that a number of reviews/investigations have previously taken place in this jurisdiction with regard to Omagh.
I will be discussing today’s announcement with my Government colleagues and we will, of course, consider what further action is required on our part, in response to the UK Government’s decision to establish an inquiry.
I look forward to receiving further detail on the proposed UK Inquiry as it becomes available.”

Omagh Bombing Saturday August 15th 1998

At around 2:30, three phone calls had been made warning of a bomb in Omagh, using the same codeword that had been used in the Real IRA’s bombing in Banbridge, two weeks earlier: “Martha Pope”. “There’s a bomb, courthouse, Omagh, main street, 500lb, explosion thirty minutes.” The caller claimed the warning was given on behalf of “Óglaigh na hÉireann,” [Irish – “The Defense Forces of Ireland”.]

The Omagh bomb exploded on August 15th 1998, killing 29 people including a woman pregnant with twins and injuring 220 other people.
In 1989, a then recently-formed dissident republican group, calling itself the ‘Real IRA’, claimed responsibility for the bomb and in a statement, confirmed that its targets were “commercial” while offering an apology to the victims.

In 2002, a dissident republican Mr Colm Murphy, aged 49, was found guilty of plotting to cause the Omagh bombing.

The Provisional Irish Republican Army’s Quartermaster General Mr Michael McKevitt, in protest allegedly founded and became leader of the Real IRA in 2003. The latter was found guilty of directing terrorism between August 29th 1999 and October 23rd 2000 and being a member of an illegal organisation, here in the Irish Republic.

In 2009 a judge in a civil trial ruled that Mr Michael McKevitt, Mr Liam Campbell, Mr Colm Murphy and Mr Seamus Daly were all liable for the Omagh bombing. They were ordered to pay a total of £1.6m in damages to the 12 relatives, who had taken a civil case.

Mr Liam Campbell and ‘Real IRA’ leader Mr Michael McKevitt, took their case to the European Court of Human Rights, arguing that the civil trial in Belfast High Court, had been unfair. Both cases were rejected. Mr McKevitt was officially released from prison in March, 2016, and died on January 2nd 2021, at the age of 71 years, following a six year battle with cancer.

In 2020, a Fermanagh and Omagh District Council committee passed a motion opposing the extradition of Mr Liam Campbell to Lithuania, regarding their allegations that he was part of an operation to purchase guns and explosives for the ‘Real IRA.’

At least one family member, of an Omagh bomb victim, now resides in Co. Tipperary.

Key Legislation Introduced To Government On Use Of Garda Body Cameras, ANPR & CCTV.

* Intention to enact Garda Síochána (Recording Devices) Bill 2022 swiftly, to allow for body worn camera pilot this year.
* Use of body-worn cameras will protect frontline Gardaí and deter criminal activity.
* Strengthened powers to be introduced around CCTV and Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) software.

The Minister for Justice, Mr Simon Harris TD, today introduced legislation in the Dáil to allow for the use of body worn cameras and other crucial modern policing tools by An Garda Síochána.

Minister Harris said the Garda Síochána (Recording Devices) Bill 2022, which was taken at second stage today, will significantly strengthen the capacity of An Garda Síochána to tackle crime and protect national security.

The use of body worn cameras will also be hugely important in helping to protect frontline Gardaí as they do their duty in keeping people safe.

Minister Harris hopes to enact the Bill as soon as possible to allow Garda Commissioner Drew Harris to pilot the use of body-worn cameras later this year, prior to their widespread roll-out.

The Bill is in line with the recommendations of the Commission on the Future of Policing in Ireland, which was published in 2019, and is a priority action in Justice Plan 2022. It is part of a suite of legislation being introduced by the Government to reform An Garda Síochána.

Among the central elements of the Garda Síochána (Recording Devices) Bill 2022 are:

Allowing for recording from body worn cameras, helicopters, aircraft, Garda dogs, drones, mobile devices and tablets.
Extending the powers governing Garda use of CCTV and Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) technology to help prevent crime and prosecute those involved in criminal activity.
Providing powers for An Garda Síochána to access third party CCTV on a live-feed basis to support them in carrying out their function, subject to strict guidelines and oversight.
Placing a statutory obligation on the Garda Commissioner to prepare Codes of Practice, which will be submitted to the Minister for Justice for approval, regarding the operation of recording devices and CCTV
Work is already underway on these codes and they will address standards to be applied, confidentiality, security, storage, access and retention of data.

The Department of Justice has engaged extensively with An Garda Síochána, Garda oversight bodies and strategic partners, during the preparation of this Bill, as well as the Office of the Data Protection. Commissioner, the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission and the Irish Council for Civil Liberties.

Minister Harris said: “The Government is committed to building stronger, safer communities. This means providing An Garda Síochána with the tools to fight crime in a modern era and to protect our frontline Gardaí as they do their duty.
Policing services across the world have gained significant benefits from the introduction of these technologies and people will have seen their effective use in fighting and solving crime in other jurisdictions.
I firmly believe that our Gardaí must have the same tools as their colleagues in police services across Europe and around the world.
I am confident that body worn cameras will play an important role in improving Garda front-line capabilities and in ensuring the accurate recording of incidents.
Garda use of this technology will be primarily for the investigation, detection, prevention and prosecution of criminal offences, the safeguarding against and the prevention of threats to public safety and public order, and in matters relating to the security of the State.”

The Minister added that body worn cameras are also hugely important in protecting Gardaí, as well as being a key investigative tool.
Under the Bill, body worn cameras must be visible on the clothing of the Garda member and have a light showing when they are recording.
The Bill also contains a broad definition of recording device to ensure the legislation is future proofed.

Minister Harris added: “Members of An Garda Síochána are placing themselves at great personal risk and we must support them in every way we can as they do their jobs.
Attacks on our brave Gardaí, or attempts to intimidate them, must be utterly condemned, and body worn cameras will be key to ensuring they are protected as they carry out their duties.
Body worn cameras are also a key investigative tool. For example, I know from speaking to frontline Gardaí that the first moments after they arrive at the scene of domestic abuse are key to gathering evidence which can then be used to protect the victim and ensure the perpetrator is brought to justice.”

The new Bill will regulate the use of recording devices in public spaces; where An Garda Síochána have a power of entry authorised by law; and in places where they have implied or express permission to be.

Provision will also be made for recording to be carried out from Garda helicopters, fixed wing aircraft and drones – which will be key to tackling organised crime gangs and protecting national security.

Minister Harris continued: “Another key area in the Bill is the new arrangements for CCTV schemes. CCTV schemes are currently dealt with under section 38 of the Garda Síochána Act, 2005, which will be repealed and replaced. This Bill sets out how CCTV schemes should be managed in the future to ensure that they reflect changes in the law on foot of the introduction of the General Data Protection Regulation and the Law Enforcement Directive. This will include an important role for Community Safety Partnerships, which will develop Community Safety Plans, with strong local input.
The Bill will also allow for the processing of live feeds of third party CCTV, and the recording of certain calls to and from An Garda Síochána and providing An Garda Síochána with an updated legal basis for the installation and operation of CCTV on Garda premises.”

An Garda Síochána are working on draft codes of practice for, amongst other things, body worn cameras and CCTV, with a view to ensuring they are ready for when the Bill is enacted.

In creating these codes, there will be a number of bodies with whom the Garda Commissioner will have to consult and there will be impact assessments, on human rights and data protection that have to be carried out.

Each code of practice will be submitted to the Minister for approval and once approved, it will be contained in a Ministerial Order, thereby making it a public document.

On the issue of Automatic Number Plate Recognition Data, Minister Harris said it is important for Gardaí to be able to access ANPR Data from the cameras of organisations who are already operating ANPR cameras at strategic locations in the State.

The initial bodies that are to be included are the National Roads Authority (motorway cameras), DAA (Dublin and Cork Airport ANPR cameras) and Dublin Port.

The Minister for Justice may designate other bodies to be included but it would only be of use where an organisation has an extensive network of ANPR cameras in place.

Minister Harris said he expects strong support from across the House for this key piece of legislation, with contains a series of provisions to protect frontline members of An Garda Síochána and help them tackle crime.

Free Property Marking Event In Clonmel, South Tipperary Tomorrow.

Today in Clonmel, South Co. Tipperary, four individuals, latter working as a team, entered a sports store in the town. On leaving the store they brought with them 31 items of clothing goods valued at an estimated €2060, having concealed the items on their person.

Following a search by Clonmel Gardaí, the suspects were quickly located close-by, as they made arrangements to exit the Clonmel area, undetected, together with the concealed property.
All four individuals having been searched, were arrested, detained and interviewed and will now appear in court.

Meanwhile, the property which was recovered in fulll, was returned to the store owner.

Speaking of property removal; please take note: Property Marking Event.

Tomorrow, Sunday January 29th, 2023 a Property Marking event will take place in Moyle Rovers GAA grounds, Clonmel, between 10:00am and 3:00pm.
Bring your bikes, machinery, household property etc., along with you tomorrow, to help Gardaí to stamp out local crime and keep the Tipperary community safe.

Note: This is a FREE event for all the family and every community group in Tipperary.

Appeal, By Tipperary Drug Dealer Importing Cannabis In Nappies, Rejected.

The Court of Appeal have rejected the re-examination of a case by 39 year old Tipperary resident, Mr Damien Cahill, latter with an address, at Railway Close, Kilsheelan, Co. Tipperary.
Mr Cahill was appealing against a prison sentence doled out for his part in what was described as a sophisticated drug dealing operation in which cannabis was imported into Ireland, disguised as packets of nappies.

In delivering judgement today, Justice Mr Patrick McCarthy said that the court had found no error in the original sentence handed out, which was three years in prison, with the final 18 months suspended and in so dismissing the appeal, declared that the Court did not find any error in the original sentence.

Mr Cahill had been convicted at Clonmel Courthouse, South Tipperary on July 13th, 2021, of having cannabis for sale or supply, at Slievenamon Road, Ivowen, Kilsheelan, Co. Tipperary, on September 22nd, 2017.

Cannabis Offence Committed In Order To Discharge Drug Debt.

The appellant had informed Gardaí that he had previously been involved in supplying Cocaine, and he had committed the Cannabis offence only in order to discharge an existing drug debt.

Customs officers had located the drugs hidden in baby nappies and Gardaí subsequently had obtained a search warrant for the address to which the goods were to be delivered.
The appellant had made admissions, during the Garda search, that he was expecting the drugs and had been involved in the sale of cocaine in the past. The appellant was required to hand the drugs over to an unnamed male in order to clear a drug debt of up to €6,000.

Tipperary Firemen On Trial For Alleged Cocaine Possession In Nenagh Fire Station.

Two Tipperary firemen, named as Mr Michael Morgan, aged 43, with an address at Cluain Muillean, Nenagh, and Mr John Walsh, aged 36, residing at Coille Bheithe, Nenagh, appeared before Nenagh Circuit Court, yesterday, for the second day of their trial; accused of having cocaine worth an estimated €78,000, for sale or supply.

Nenagh Circuit Court heard that the illegal drug Cocaine was located in Mr Michael Morgan’s work locker, during a routine inspection at the fire station.

Several past and present members of Nenagh fire services gave evidence of seeing a white powder substance in a green plastic lunchbox. Gardaí had been alerted and both accused men were arrested before being charged in connection with the seizure of suspected Cocaine.

Both men are currently charged with one count of possession of Cocaine for sale or supply, and with one count of possession of being in Cocaine.

A 12 person jury, heard that a number of people would have had access to the firefighters work locker area, as the lockers are routinely left open, thus allowing firefighters quick access to neecessary equipment, when responding to emergency calls.

Garda Mr Andrew O’Loughlin, Nenagh Garda Station, said he responded to a call from Nenagh Fire Station on the evening in question and was shown a box containing a white powdery substance; contents of which were divided up into equal quantities and enclosed in plastic wrapping; same, allegedly discovered in Mr Morgan’s work locker. Forensic analysis later confirmed the substance was Cocaine.

Cocaine has become the second most trafficked illegal drug in the world and no longer the drug of choice for just wealthy people. Today it has the reputation of being a most dangerous and highly addictive drug, strongly linked to poverty, serious crime and death.

The trial continues today.