Posted by This case actually happened in an Irish Court of Law exactly as stated below with some names changed. I was the observer, taking notes. KT being in the dock, stood accused and his perspective is essential…
As I stood in the Dock looking around the court room, I could not but notice Garda Brunt’s eyes staring at me. Deep. It reminded me, in some way, of a hatred I could not explain. I knew it was personal. He had this suave appearance and I could see the other Gardai from Donnybrook, Dublin 4, two in particular who came (even on their day off) and who were smiling – they really thought I was going to be convicted of a charge that practically did not even exist.
As I sat there, going through my mind, were all the letters I had written to the Supt Wheatley and the fact that there were no replies. I remember one letter I wrote, which I will come back to shortly. Judge Brian Smyth began and asked the State solicitor Hamilton to outline his case against me. Hamilton stated ‘Harassment, name calling, and unsociable behaviour.’ There were other comments which I can’t recall at this time. The CCTV of the Tesco Ireland security system which was organised by Mr Tom Dowling, the person who made the complaint against me.
Hamilton called up Dowling and he asked him – can you recognise the person in the court who harassed you. I could not believe what came out of Dowling’s mouth. He pointed his finger at me ‘That big thick ignorant fucker across there’ Judge Brian Smyth stopped him and said ‘you will not speak like that in this court’. Dowling continued to rant ‘this man would come into the shop in Tesco and call me names like FBI agent, brain box and scumbag’. Michael Hanohoe stopped him in cross-examination and asked him to please show him the page in the Book of Evidence where he stated the word ‘Scumbag’”. Dowling had no answer. I knew then the case was over.
The circus continued for another 40 minutes. Two more individuals came up and made comments that baffled the word confusion. One of them a non national said on the day in question he had an ear infection and could not hear anything. I could see the frustration in Judge Brian Smyth’s face. At this stage the court was packed between solicitors in between cases, some barristers and not forgetting at least 20 Gardai. At one stage, when a Tesco employee stated he ie me held in his hand a head of cabbage, the court erupted into laughter. I saw one barrister bent in pain trying to keep the laughter in. The entire court at this stage knew it was a total stitch up and this was not the first time. Also during the cross-examination there were words used like ‘Cabbage, Turnip, Brain Box and Cauliflower’. It was like the song ‘Bring in the Clowns’.
Hamilton stood up and kept on pleading with the Judge. He kept saying there is a case to answer here. The Judge replied. Just look at the video, the man in the dock is simply going about his business shopping. I don’t see one shred of evidence of any harassment here. But the most important words I heard and then and maybe I will never hear again from Judge Smyth “Mr Hamilton, if I was to charge this man today with an offence of any type, I would have to change the entire book of Irish Criminal Law”. I deem both cases dismissed. You are free to go, he said to me. There were screams of laughter in the court. Brunt (Garda) stood stunned. I can’t to this day figure out how he is still working as a detective in Irishtown. It was a blatant pre meditated planned stitch up that backfired. Yet, nobody is held responsible. One more point I would like to make. Almost one year later I was falsely arrested again – and yet again it was another stitch up.
Before I left the dock my mind went back to all the letters I sent to Supt Wheatley in Donnybrook which could have avoided this circus and a massive waste of taxpayers money. As I was leaving the court with my partner and my friends, Brunt quietly said ‘I will have my fucking day’. I turned and said nothing and my mind just said – a disillusioned ego acting as a Garda. That is how thugs act – they abuse their sense of power and this is not the first time Brunt has been caught out. I had hoped then a lesson was learned. I was sadly to be wrong a year later. Lucky or may I say, legally the DPP laughed the Charge Sheet out of their office, back again to Donnybrook. Now I do know – I am a target. Why? I have no idea but I will not finish until I find out.
Addendum: 2nd October 2018
After reading the experience of the gentleman that stood in the dock above and the satire which flowed through it one now must get serious and ask the hard questions.
- How did Garda Brunt take this traveling circus to a district court under a summary charge.
- Did Supt Lorraine Wheatley who is now Chief Supt in Ballymun Garda station get the full facts from Garda Brunt at that time, because if she did not, there are more serious questions to be asked here.
- Let me remind you of the words stated by Judge Brian Smyth “If I had to charge this man in the dock today I would have to change THE ENTIRE BOOK OF IRISH CRIMINAL LAW
- The questions have been asked but just like GSOC, it is all buried under the corruption carpet. Again I repeat how did this circus get to a district court and a district court trial?
- The court room on the day was packed to capacity. Gardai came on their day off and it is alleged that between Irishtown and Donnybrook, there was a betting book between the rogue cops, on how much of a fine, the accused or let me say the false charges against the innocent citizen would get. Well it backfired.
- Accountability in Ireland today is non existent in the Gardai and across the entire public service and semi-state. Corruption is on the verge of being legalised. This may sound crazy but then just look back at the 2 million fake breath tests; the two and half thousand people who were summonsed to court under false pretenses and on and on. Yet, not one member of the Gardai was held accountable for their illegal activities. Garda HQ should be rooted out from the inside and the Foggy Dew Harris should start as a matter of urgency but then again I personally believe, he is the wrong man, in the wrong place, from the wrong uniform, to hold the position of Commissioner.
- One also has to ask the cost of this case going to court and one also has to ask Mr Lewis, Tesco Chief Executive, for his view on this case or maybe we should find Mr Clarke who was in charge at that time but we all know he has his problems now with the private jet, and other alleged corrupt activities.
I will conclude: This country is on the verge of collapse through cronyism and again I repeat corruption. There are decent Gardai, some I speak to and they tell me quietly that they dread going to work in the morning and at night because the rogues run the stations at free will.
Have we learned anything from the Morris Tribunal?
Sadly we have not.
Fred
Who Watches the Watchers? 
I heard about this case at the time: that it was a local legend in the courts, with pub conversation for long after… also that there was some interesting back-story of how the case was handled at the aforementioned cop shop; another comedy of errors. Discriminating readers now officially ask @fredbassett7 for an account of the background as well… 🙂
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I’m not so sure what the two guards would have been smiling about in court that day. Were they suits? If so , they’d be possibly hoping that his performance in the witness box would put an early end to Brunt’s plans for a plain-clothes career. None of the uniform lads from Donnybrook or Irishtown like working with him either. But GRA would feel obliged to take Brunt’s side if they did try to sack him. That’s the dilemma.
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Been away from the country a while but never remember an Irish cop shop being raided before. Must have been a tough call for Ubergruppenfuhrer Harris to make history like that, discrediting every garda in the station, over something as trivial as insurance certificates.
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Over 55,000 warrants issued to people for failing to show in court in Ireland since 2016
This above title appears in a number of newspapers today. Now we have had over 2 million fake breath tests, we have had money laundering in Templemore training college, we have had the Morris McCabe scandal and the only case that was concluded in the last 20 years thanks to the persistence and integrity of Sgt McCabe and his family. Now back to the 56,000 at large on warrants.
Gardai are very selective on whose door they choose to break down at 3 am or 6 am in the morning (their favorite hours). Just ask TD Paul Murphy to fill you in. He got the knock at 6 am on the charge of kidnapping or may I say alleged of Ireland’s greatest moaner, Joan of the failing Labour party. Murphy and the rest were found No Guilty and rightly so. Let’s just have a recall on that case: 37 members of the Irish Police (Gardai) Force gave the exact same evidence. Now, we know they are not monkeys; we know they are not parrots but yet 37 with the exact same brain cells – baffles science.
Now let us get a little more serious here. Why do we not have a Crime of Perjury in this country? My summary goes like this: If we did we would have to build a new prison or re-open Spike Island because we would have at least 3,000-4,000 Irish cops as guests of the State for months even years. P for Perjury; P for Police but more importantly P for Politics. Can you see the DNA cronyism all over this. Yes you can.
To be continued and will be writing soon on the stitch up with the American GI, the Romanian partner and the rogue cops.
Fred
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There could be criminal probe into Templemore funds – Commissioner
The Commissioner said she did not mislead the Public Accounts Committee yesterday.
May 5th 2017, 2:57 PM 8,911 Views 37 Comments
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Image: Sam Boal
GARDA COMMISSIONER NÓIRÍN O’Sullivan has said that a criminal investigation into the actions of senior gardaí at Templemore is possible.
She said that financial irregularities were legacy issues but could form the basis of a serious investigation into what happened at the Garda College.
She added that the matters dated back 30 years and that she only became aware of them in 2015.
The financial irregularities include a fund that was used for gifts and entertainment, rent collected for a site that should have been paid to the Office of Public Works and the transfer of money to the Garda Boat Club.
Assistant Commissioner John O’Driscoll will now examine a report conducted by the force’s head of audit, Niall Kelly, and will make recommendations including whether or not an official criminal probe into activities of senior gardaí at Templemore should begin.
The Commissioner said:
I have an Assistant Commissioner examining the report to see if there are any issues from civil, criminal or administrative law perspectives arising from it. He will make recommendations and they will be fully addressed.
O’Sullivan also stressed that “under no circumstances” did she mislead a Dáil committee yesterday.
Sinn Féín’s deputy leader Mary Lou McDonald claimed the Commissioner’s contributions to the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) yesterday were full of “discrepancies, evasion and delay”.
O’Sullivan said today:
We will find out what happened and who knew about it. We have to make sure there are standards in place.
comish Commissioner at the Public Accounts Committee yesterday.
In the more than five-hour hearing yesterday, the Commissioner told politicians that she first became aware of the extent of the issues when she received a report with recommendations from her head of legal affairs on 28 July 2015.
An odd exchange between O’Sullivan and director of Garda HR John Barrett then developed over the length of time the Commissioner had spent with Barrett discussing the money issues.
She told the PAC:
Prior to that, on 27 July there was a very brief conversation in a room after meeting in Templemore in which Mr Barrett raised issues around work he was doing.
“The meeting was over two hours – it’s in the minutes,” Barrett interjected.
He had become aware of audits from 2008 and 2010 that identified accounting irregularities, and flagged them with his chief administrative officer. He had then compiled a report bringing the contents of these two audits together.
“My memory is that it was a brief meeting,” the Commissioner commented, in response to his contradiction.
Addressing journalists at Farmleigh House this afternoon, O’Sullivan said: “Regardless of how long the meeting took place in the Garda College, I think the issues speak for themselves.”
With reporting by Michelle Hennessy
Read: The Garda Commissioner, the head of HR and the ‘brief’ two-hour meeting in
Templemore audit reveals allegations of offshore bank accounts
https://www.irishtimes.com/…/templemore-audit-reveals-allegations-of-offshore-bank-…
May 25, 2017 – Internal audit report discovered Templemore college had been … use of a bank account in the name of the Garda laundry account for payment …
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Fred says:-
Reading the above one would have to ask and really ask where are we now in relation to the massive Frauds and Corruption within the Irish Police Force? Everybody knows that GSOC is unfit for purpose except sadly Jim O’Callaghan FF who must not be living on this wee Island full-time. GSOC is only an extension of the old Garda Complaints Office that used to be based on Abbey Street, years ago. The Gardai work within GSOC so perhaps somebody can explain to me how GSOC can be independent? Many years ago many a poor fool would enter the Garda Complaints Office on Abbey Street; the Sgt at the time would make him a cup of tea and then would tell him everything will be all right Paddy so go home now and bring your wife flowers – all is calm. At 6 am the following morning the house would be raided and a little bit of Ballymagash would be planted in the fridge and the poor fool would end up doing three months. Maurice McCabe may have won his case and I have the highest of respect for this man but don’t forget Maurice and Lorraine fought their case alone for a long number of years before the TD celebs hopped on the bandwagon and saw the opportunity to elevate their own names and careers in the process. I have no problem with politicians fighting the fight but I would like them to fight it from the beginning not the middle.
How did the case of the Cabbage get to the District Court? Well you would have to ask Supt Lorraine Wheatley and the State’s Solicitors Office that question because as one TD remarked this is a cartoon and it is beyond belief BUT FUCK ALL WAS DONE ABOUT IT.
Templemore College is where the young men and women in uniform are trained and yet the College is still under a dark cloud of corruption, money laundering, offshore accounts, backhanders, and people getting supplies contracts with the wink and nod. If the training college is run by a mafia outlet where does that leave Garda HQ? Also, where does it leave the Garda Commissioner Harris and Flinstone Flanagan and Harris? If anybody watched the Maurice McCabe story for two hours, shock would be an understatement but yet the Gardai in Mullingar and Cavan who acted like thugs and who produced a toy rat in a pup and then uploading it to youtube in order to undermine a decent Garda Father and Husband. These thugs are still wearing the uniform of the State when I write this. Before that programme concluded, Maurice McCabe made a statement and it was from the core of his being – “it’s over, I am exonerated, I have my life back, but I know for my own sake there is no future for me now in the Gardai”. This comment alone should have shocked a nation further. I have not heard a single TD make a comment yet about the programme which is also alarming. Nothing has changed in the Police Force. As I have said before and I will say it again now there are at least 4,000 cops on the Island of Ireland involved in drug dealing, extortion, money laundering, moonlighting and the rest – I know that there are other whistleblowers who are too scared to come forward and who can blame them when they witnessed what the McCabe family had to go through to reveal the Truth.
Watching Dumb and Dumber last night on Virgin 3, John McGuinness, FF made a comment that we need to protect mortgage holders and we need to tackle the problem of how Vulture funds treat people in arrears. McGuinness is an astute politician but he is also very selective on what battles he will take on. At the moment he is riding high on the McCabe story but let’s not forget Micheal Martin was also a major player along with others in the final few years that helped McCabe and his family to get Justice. Today, I ask TD’s, including John McGuinness and others, why be so selective – there is corruption right across this country – charities, semi-state, Department of Justice cover-ups, some in the legal profession who front for drug dealers and I could go on all day but yet there is a wall of silence and apathy is the nucleus of same. We need to regain our hunger. We need to motivate our politicians to tackle corruption and cronyism head-on and not to select their targets when some other fool gives them all the evidence then they hop on the bandwagon and become the celebs. Politicians are voted in by the people of this country in every county to serve them at the highest level of integrity and common decency. At the moment our politicians are failing dismally in every sector. In 2017 the only case that was concluded in this country was the McCabe story. How many more McCabes are out there?
I will conclude today by stating: Imagine three employees in the semi-state sector of Enterprise Ireland who are out sick for periods of 9 years, 11 years and I think in one case 20 years. This was published in the Sunday Business Post a couple of months ago. These people may not be getting a wage but they are entitled to pension increments. We know we will get no information from EI on this but yet not one single politician will ask the basic questions — Why is this happening? Today I say to Alan Kelly, Mick Wallace, John McGuinness and a few more – don’t cherry pick your battles, you are all voted in to act on behalf of the people and that means in a very simple wording (Do your Job that is what you are Paid for).
Fred
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Once upon a time there was a farmer in the hills of Galway and he had planned he would have the biggest sheep herd for miles when got the prize ram on loan from Belmullet. Well, the story is told so often, nobody knows what is fact or fiction but the conclusion is quite entertaining. The ram arrived and was sent down to the lowlands to do the business. After a few weeks, the farmer the arrived back; it was early Spring and he could not hear a sound. He took out his spy glasses and wept. There was not not a single ewe in sight but the Belmullet ram had found love with another. We had three years ago the gay Mayo bull, O yes, it was in the papers. However, lets get back to the plight of the poor farmer. Two gay rams and not a lamb in sight. Now, you have to make up your own minds about this story but forget the word “Cull”.
Back to modern Ireland. Today Vicky Phelan made one of the strongest statements ever against the PM of the Banana Republic. Vicky said: Leo let her down badly. All talk, all promises, polite but no action. This from a dying brave young woman sums up this country at present. Now, let us talk about the Seanad for the moment. Some people call it the Nursing Home for Reject TD’s. Some call it the Doss House for the elite and the established glasses; some just call it a waste of space. Personally, over the years it never really got my attention until now. Besides David Norris and handful more, the rest of them are an absolute disgrace. They have no foundation of Irish history and some of them have scant education. People get voted in through the Universities but the one today I want to talk about is the 12 who were appointed personally by the Taoiseach of the day. It is probable that there could be an election soon and I am going to stick my neck out now.
Frances Black is in the Seanad and I have no idea how or why? Lynn Ruane to me personally is another disappointment and needs to take off the Emperor’s dress and get back to reality. Joan Freeman could not be satisfied with e100,000 per year; she also wanted to be the Queen of Ireland and we all know how that played out. These people did not get in on merit and Enda Kenny left his legacy of pure cronyism and bluff. Maurice McCabe stands tall today. His family stand proud of their husband and father and I say today if any man should get the first choice of the next Taoiseach for the Seanad it is Maurice McCabe. He took this country to its knees because he told the Truth and did his job as a Garda without fear or favour. McCabe should be in the Seanad and on specific committees in relation to policing and ethics. In the last week or may I say it has been on file for a number of years now, over 2,500 crimes by juveniles were never investigated by our Police Force and some of the crimes were serious – rape, house break-ins, serious assaults, drug dealing, car thefts and many more. Yet, it is only now that Garda HQ are letting it out to the people. The Policing Authority have held meetings but that is as far as it goes. Corruption is sinking this country but we need to tackle the internal structures of how our Police Force in this country works. If any man can give a committee a guideline or a fair assessment of what should happen, that man IS MAURICE MCCABE. HE SHOULD BE FIRST ON THE LIST OF ANY TAOISEACH NEXT TIME OUT FOR THE SEANAD.
Before I go the Cabinet meeting this week will not be on Brexit and all FG members are on full stand-by to do their duty beyond the call; it is Leo’s 40th birthday and I believe it could be a national day of joy and dancing; all schools could even be closed! I believe PantiHose is baking the cake and Louis Walsh is doing a duo at the party with Lady GaGa. Micheal Martin will not be invited because he won’t wear a pink shirt. Well tough luck Micheal and you thought you had a cosy deal.
Fred
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When you read the details below, it is hard to actually understand, never mind trying to figure out why, the figures are so high and some of the crimes are of the most serious kind including rape and serious assaults. Why is this only being aired now? Because I wrote on this almost a year ago and nobody gave it a second glance. Something is falling down in the structure of our Police Force and I will say it again, Harris is the wrong man at the wrong time, for the role of Commissioner.
Yesterday, in a Dublin district court, a Ballymun man was before a judge for the theft of a chocolate bar valued at 40 cents. Super-Valu in Ballymun and the management should be before the court explaining the madness, the absolute waste of taxpayers money (their motive advertising). I want to state today again, when you have a Police Force that faked over 1 million breath tests and add to this the penalty points scandal and not one officer is disciplined, something is most definitely rotten in Garda HQ, Department of Justice up to the level of Flinstone Flanagan, Minister for Justice. Next week should be interesting – Harris versus Fanning and if the case goes in favour of Fanning, where does this leave the Foggy Dew and Flinstone Flanagan! Only time will tell.
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A garda report has found that 3,500 children got away with committing almost 8,000 crimes, including serious crimes, over a seven-year period because gardaí did not do their jobs properly.
The report shows the juvenile offenders, the majority of whom were already known to gardaí, should have been prosecuted, but were not.
More than 3,400 victims were affected by these crimes and An Garda Síochána is to write to them to apologise and offer support.
Three quarters of the crimes not properly investigated relate to public order, theft, traffic and criminal damage, but also included are 55 serious crimes, including the rape of a woman, another serious sexual offence and a case of child neglect.
The figures have been published today in a garda report, which reviewed the Youth Referrals Scheme from 2010 to 2017.
Garda Commissioner Drew Harris issued a public apology when he appeared before the Policing Authority this afternoon.
He said the work of 3,400 gardaí is being examined by chief superintendents to see whether or not disciplinary measures are required, adding that most of the cases are concentrated in very busy divisions.
The figure represents over a quarter of the force.
A national helpline – (1800-589 589) – has been set up for people who feel they may have been affected.
The service will operate from Monday to Sunday from 7am to 10pm for the next two weeks.
Commissioner Harris said most of the children were habitual, recidivist child criminals, juvenile offenders already well known to gardaí.
On behalf of An Garda Síochána, he said: “I want to apologise to more than 3,000 young people that we have let down.”
He said each of these cases should have been investigated and gardaí have let society and the individuals involved down by not fulfilling their obligations to them.
“I want to apologise to those young people we let down, vulnerable young people, we should have done better by them, we failed. It was caused by organisational and individual failings.”
Mr Harris said what has been published today is an interim report and undoubtedly some individual numbers will change.
He said they need to take into account when investigating the cases individual gardaí were involved in and look at a discipline process that may then follow, adding that they need to ensure the system is working properly today.
He said he hoped it would not take away from the work that is being done in relation to the youth diversion programme and preventing crime.
The Officer in charge of the Garda Youth Diversion Programme has admitted that thousands of juvenile offenders were not prosecuted for multiple offences.
Assistant Commissioner Pat Leahy told the Policing Authority that 2,500 offenders were not prosecuted for up to two offences, another 870 had between three and ten, a further 35 had committed over 20 crimes while another seven youths were not prosecuted for more than 20 offences.
Cases
More than 158,521 youth referrals were examined and it was found that:
In 16,877 cases there was no prosecution
7,894 (5%) had not been properly progressed by gardaí
Another 4,851 were due to insufficient evidence to proceed
Another 2,659 could not be prosecuted because of the actions of the injured party
The remainder did not proceed because a suspect had died or could not be found (497)
Or
A time delay (383)
Or
No crime had been committed (291)
Or
It was not in the public interest to proceed (262)
And
as a small number of other reasons (40).
Types of crimes
Of 7,894 crimes that should have been prosecuted, 73% of them were for public order.
However, gardaí say that 55 of those not dealt with were serious crimes, including the rape of a woman, another serious sexual offence, child neglect, threats to kill, aggravated burglary, violent disorder, and escaping from prison.
Offenders
Almost 3,489 committed the crimes not properly dealt with by gardaí. Most of them were habitual, recidivist child criminals, juvenile offenders already well known to gardaí.
On average each child had come to garda attention seven times (four prior referrals, two prior charges, one prior summons) before they committed the crime they should have been prosecuted for and 34 times (ten referrals, 17 charges, seven summons) after it.
Victims
Almost 3,480 have been the victims of these crimes that should have been prosecuted; 2,492 were personal victims and another 988 were individual business victims.
Some even received a letter saying a person had been identified for the offence committed against them, but the offender was not subsequently prosecuted.
Gardaí say measures have been put in place to ensure this does not happen again.
They point out that the 8,000 cases represent 5% of the total number of incidents dealt with over the seven year period (2010-2017) that the review examined.
They also said that 96% of the incidents occurred between 2010 and 2015, followed by a marked reduction after the introduction of a new PULSE update in 2016, which introduced computer-based monitoring and reduced paper-based cases.
The rate of cases dropped from 7.3% in 2010 to 0.7% in 2017.
A new National Bureau for Child Diversion has been established headed by a chief superintendent, staffing and supervision has been increased, standard operating procedures for youth referrals and mandatory training programmes for gardaí have been introduced.
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https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/courts/heroin-addict-had-to-give-keys-of-his-council-flat-to-dealer-over-5000-debt-37744053.html
Who runs Dublin, the Cops? or the Drug dealers? The answer is very easy….. Fred
Drew Harris was definitely appointed Garda Commissioner for a reason and the reason is not clear at present; it is a bit like Brexit. The Brits don’t know; the EU are bluffing through their pie hole and the Clowns in the Dail are already digging their bunkers to hide. Now let’s face it we don’t have a Plan B or a Plan C, we just have the bunch of Clowns who right now are trying to run a country into the ground.
Harris has taken a very precarious decision last month in suspending his second in command, Asst Commissioner John Fintan Fanning. The suspension at the moment is like a cloud over water – all you get are ripples but no clarity. Fanning and Harris were due back in the High Court yesterday. Fanning has shown courage and wants to know why, after 38 years of an unblemished record in An Garda Siochana, he is being treated like a common criminal. The case is put back until February; this again shows that whatever is happening here, it is going to get dirty. In the middle of all this, Harris asked Flinstone Flanagan (Justice Minister) to suspend Mr Barrett, head of Human Relations at Garda HQ. Barrett is now approximately 4 months suspended while Fintan Fanning is on his 4th week of suspension. To add to this, Harris has also sent letters of apologies out to over 3,000 people+ across the country for juvenile crimes that were never investigated by the Irish police service. Some of these crimes involved alleged rape and serious assaults. Drew Harris held a press conference and he accused over 3000 Gardai of not doing their job. These crimes go back a number of years so Harris is also putting the Irish Government and other former Ministers for Justice in the Dock, as well as other Garda Commissioners. However, if Harris loses his case in February against Fanning – it leaves him all alone in the South of Ireland and it will be a very cold place. He will have to put on his Bowler Hat and his Sash to keep warm.
Today there is a case in the newspaper that should be on every media outlet across western Europe. The name of the man concerned is Declan Hendley. He is a heroin addict. He is aged 50 years. He had a gun rammed in his mouth by a drug dealer. Dublin City Council should be in court charged with gross negligence and total ineptitude. The drug dealer took the keys of Declan Hendley’s council flat and rented it out privately for cash in hand to new tenants until the ever rising drug debt is paid. In the meantime Dublin City Council continued to receive Mr Hindley’s rent from his social welfare account. Mr Hindley had to sleep in gardens, parks, and everywhere in the wide open spaces, until his debt is paid. Yesterday, the poor unfortunate man told Judge Groarke what happened to him. He told the Judge that the dealer gave him an offer to do robberies or carry drugs and deliver them or to hand over the keys of his home.
Mr Hindley did not want to carry out robberies or deal in drugs so he handed over his home. Judge Groarke was satisfied that Mr Hendley had overcover extreme personal difficulties after the death of his mother and partner in the last three years. Just imagine the Council had Mr Hendley in court yesterday AND NOT THE DRUG DEALER. Mr Hendley luckily is back in his flat; the Council thankfully lost the case. Here comes the most interesting piece of this case and many questions come with it. Judge Groarke awarded Mr Hendley all legal costs against the Council. He also issued a stern warning against any Letting/Estate agents or Auctioneers who would facilitate drug pushers with unsigned sham letting agreements – as the Judge pointed out had happened in Mr Hendley’s case which was before him.
Now where is Drew Harris? He is too busy getting rid of police officers who maybe he has a personal vendetta against. How could this happen WHERE ARE THE DRUG SQUAD? WHERE ARE THE FRAUD SQUAD? And: WOULD HARRIS MAKE A COMMENT ON THIS PARTICULAR CASE? I can assure you he won’t. I said it before and I will say it again – drug dealers have to have people to clean their money and front their business. In Dublin 2, Dublin 6 and Dublin 4, there are a number of estate agents, auctioneers and legal firms pushing millions and washing same through their accounts every year. It is a professional racket and a very well organised one at that. The Gardai are playing catch-up in Dublin city right now…just like Galway, Limerick, Cork and the rest. Many years ago, the late Judge Frank Roe would regularly state that you would not have a market if the receivers and fronts to illegal businesses especially drugs are tackled. I am glad Mr Henley got some justice but where are the Gardai – they know exactly who this drug dealer is as does the letting agency who handled the property on behalf of the Dublin City Council.
I will close today by saying while walking your pet poodle down Clyde Road, Dublin 4, and when you see a Porche pulling up or a new Land Rover, have a good look because these could be the people who could be laundering the dirty money in their thousand euro silk suits with their smartphones. Don’t let the image fool you. My next article will be on the legal firms and the auctioneers who do launder money and the dogs in the street can name them while they live in their castles but behind it all there is a very bad smell and we all know what that is.
Fred
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This is written by Gareth McNamee and I must state that it is well researched and equally well written. Today I will add my comments to this:
Gardaí believe woman is using a national supermarket chain she works at to launder heroin cash
The woman is believed to be under orders from a heroin gang operating in the capital.
Aug 8th 2018, 12:05 AM 102,875 Views 54 Comments
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THE CRIMINAL ASSETS Bureau along with gardaí attached to a Dublin drugs units are investigating a branch of a well-known supermarket chain which officers believe is being used by one of its staff to launder drug money, TheJournal.ie has learned.
The shop, located in Dublin city, is a focus for officers investigating how a drug gang is laundering its money. A close associate of the gang works in the shop and is believed to be changing out cash garnered from drug deals and changing it into €50 notes.
While this is being done on a relatively small scale, officers believe that the woman has been doing this for over 18 months and has potentially laundered thousands of euro worth of drug money.
The gang is physically moving the money from Dublin to Eastern Europe. Most of it is smuggled through our airports. Moving the money is made a lot easier if the smaller bills are changed into €50 notes.
The cash is then brought out of the country and lodged in various banks across Eastern Europe.
The gang uses small scale operations rather than opening official businesses to move their money. Officers believe this is being done to limit the gang’s exposure to CAB investigations if one of their laundry methods is detected.
Gardaí believe the employee has been doing this for over a year. The woman is the partner of a major heroin dealer in the city and are a person of interest for CAB in relation to another matter.
CAB is also looking into a family member of the employee, who works as a part-time cleaner and who received €30,000 into her bank account recently.
Gardaí are aware of a number of different ways the gang is moving the money out of the jurisdiction.
Lithuanian
The Lithuanian gang is run by two men, who are originally from the Kaunas and Plunge areas of the Eastern European country. They arrived into Ireland over a decade ago, one having murdered the gang’s top boss in Belfast and effectively taking control of the enterprise.
Over the last decade, this gang has moved from wholesale heroin dealing and has started operating in the prostitution trade.
As of now, gardaí believe this gang is operational in Cork, Waterford, Dublin, Kerry, Galway and Belfast.
Several garda units, including those who specialise in human trafficking investigations, are aware of this drugs gang. It is understood a high number of young Lithuanian men and women have been forced into criminality by the gang.
Its modus operandi for recruiting new members is to promise young and poor people from Eastern Europe that they will get legitimate jobs when they arrive into Ireland. But when they do get here, their passports are taken from them and they are forced into either the drug or sex trade, depending on their gender.
In fact, gardaí believe that a teenager who only arrived into the country in the last three months may have been the person to carry out an acid attack on a garda who is investigating the workings of this gang.
Criminal gangs often attempt to move their money through unsuspecting and legitimate businesses to ward off the suspicions of the authorities.
Hotel chain
Earlier this year, we reported that an international hotel chain was cooperating with international police forces, as well as the Criminal Assets Bureau over allegations that it may have unwittingly accepted drug money from Irish criminals as an investment in new properties.
Gardaí are working with their Lithuanian counterparts who are well aware of the criminal past of the top two in the gang. Intelligence is constantly being shared between the two countries. The PSNI is also kept up-to-date due to the gang’s connection to Belfast.
A number of Criminal Assets Bureau investigations – as well as Revenue probes – are also ongoing.
Gardaí believe they know who the gang’s drug supplier is and a number of potential fronts for washing drug money are also being probed by gardaí.
Investigations into the dealers are ongoing.
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The above just shows how organised and orchestrated the gangs who are now operating in every city and town in Ireland and this crosses the Border too. I have said again and again – Drugs brings money, power, and Corruption. At the moment there are at least three former Gardai in our prisons doing time for getting caught in the trap of taking dirty money and betraying the Oath they took. Don’t forget these are just the ones who in the last 12 months who have been caught. At the moment in Ireland, we have a Drug Market, Prostitution Market, Marriage Scams, Organised Begging, and last but not least the second hand Clothes Market and this is run by Romanian gangs that net an income in the region of £10 million per annum. Our Gardai and this is no slur, are not up to the job. They are not properly trained and to put it bluntly, if you go down to a court, sit down, have a listen, you can see there is a lack also of education or may I say professional fluency especially when they are making their statements. Also, sadly when our cops want to Stitch somebody up; they seem to have quite a talent of deviance in this area and this is a culture that is there for decades just like the Haughey years GUBU and the rest.
At the moment I estimate on my research going back over 20+ years, that the Gangs in Ireland now collectively are turning over in the region of £2.6 billion per year. People may think that this is a dramatic figure but I can assure you unlike the cost experts of the new Childrens’ Hospital, I do my homework properly and don’t over run on any topic. I want to go offside for a moment and raise a moral ethical issue about parents and grandparents being intimated, targeted and forced to hand over large sums of money or the threat of their homes burned or worse. How are these thugs allowed get away with this. Surely our Gardai can break down doors the same way they broke down Deputy Paul Murphy’s door at 6.00 am for the alleged kidnapping of T Rex Joan which was eventually thankfully thrown out of the court. Anyway, back to organised crime. We need a special unit. We need our cops to be trained properly and if that means overseas so be it. At present some of our cops have become so cosy in their little mobiles they are incapable of finding an illegal aerial in Dublin 4 and beyond. People out there are making a massive amount of money on fronting for these gangs. Just read the opening paragraph written by McNamee and it shows you what lengths these Drug Lords and Gangs are willing to go.
Legal firms, accountants, even now it is alleged that doctors and other professional people launder money for gangs in this country. One example of the Market at present – I have said this before and I will repeat it – on weekends you can literally witness cocaine use in Dublin 4 in houses, and gardens. The young people sadly now believe it is the norm. Work hard and socialise harder. I would take a guess that in places like Dublin 4 and the hub, which some people call sleepy hollow, at least 100,000 is spent on illegal drugs on Rugby weekends, long weekends and ordinary weekends. If I was to stick my neck out further, I would say you could mention a figure of £200,000+ between taking the white powder, the hotel room, getting to know the right porter, the cash in hand and the young lady of the night who arrives at the hotel dressed like a barrister. The point I am making here is simple: Drugs and the Gangs interact which means you take the cocaine and then you enter the prostitution game while you play away from home especially on a Rugby weekend, as many men do. Recently a medical expert in the field of venereal disease informed me that there is at least 60,000 men in Ireland right now with serious conditions of herpes, gonnorrhea, and other conditions. This does not take account of the number of women who are also in this category.
I will close by saying: IS CRIME PAYING IN IRELAND NOW? Sadly yes. Our cops need to get a handle on the Gangs but again they fall short on professional ethics and training and tonight I say to the lawyers, dentists, accountants out there – the posse is closing in. People talk especially wives at coffee mornings and other people listen and take notes, just like me and I will be printing names shortly and I don’t give a damn about Peggy Sue or High Courts for that matter. So be careful on a Friday night when your son or daughter is heading out with the Clongowes accent or Mount Anville, because literally as the saying goes I won’t be long Dad or Mum – I AM JUST GOING OUT TO POWER MY NOSE
Fred Bassett
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https://www.irishtimes.com/…/money-seized-as-evidence-by-gardaí-goes-missing-14-t…
It is hard to comprehend that after Scandal after Scandal in our Gardai that there is more to come:- When you check the above you will find out that monies from crimes committed and also the monies are evidence in relation to ongoing court cases. Now, the problem is the monies which accumulate to in the region of £168,000 have gone missing in 14 different garda stations around the country. I wrote about one three years ago concerning the station in Balbriggan and also an incident in Kevin Street garda station. Not one garda has been questioned never mind being arrested in relation to the theft of these monies in 14 garda stations.
Something is really rotten in the culture of the police force in the Republic of Ireland and the above is only one of the latest scandals but it is not new. The question is now what does the Foggy Dew Harris intend to doing about this? There are people in our prisons today doing 5 years+ for robberies that would amount to small sums and yet our gardai can rob from within just like our Bankers and get away with it. Yes, this is Fact and Sadly. Now, sources are telling me in the last 48 hours that Hamilton is retiring as Chief Constable in the North of Eire and Drew Harris has been approached to drop the Commissioner’s hat down here and to return to the uniform that fits him perfectly. I will repeat that I don’t have the facts but I just hear the murmurs from very sound people and good sources. It would not be too far fetched to say that Harris could leave his contract here prematurely and return Home. The fact is that this time, if it happened, he would carry with him a massive amount of internal information in relation to the internal security of our State, the Republic and it would leave our Government with so much jam and egg on their faces, it would take Roadstone and a digger to remove it. We live in uncertain times but IF WE DON’T HAVE A POLICE FORCE THAT ACT WITHIN THE LAW THEN WE HAVE A FAILED SOCIETY ALSO.
Fred
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Another Garda scandal is emerging and at this stage the people of Ireland must have lost count of the number of Garda scandals within the organisation. It now appears that money has gone missing from Cepol the EU Police Training Organisation that transferred Cepol money from Garda account and AIB branch in Dublin to accounts in St Raphael’s Garda Credit Union. It then now appears that the monies were transferred to the personal accounts of Gardai (details are unknown). The missing monies were discovered by a GSOC inquiry into financial irregularities at the Training College in Templemore. It now appears that Gardai at the College had mismanaged the finances caused by poor accounting practices and a lack of financial expertise. At the moment GSOC are making inquiries on where the EU funding has been allocated to.
The investigation is trying to establish why official funds were transferred into private Garda accounts and the questions are simple: Who authorised it? and Who approved all the payments? It now appears that this investigation began, according to John Mooney, Sunday Times, in August 2017. It is laughable that after all the scandals and the Maurice McCabe travesty of justice, that serious problems still exist in the Irish Police Force. It actually gets more harrowing that the Gardai from the National Crime Investigation Unit along with the National Fraud Squad, have been transferred to GSOC to help with the inquiry, along with two accountants, one on secondment from Revenue. Naturally the Gardai involved in the running of the Cepol EU funds have denied any wrongdoing and time will tell the Truth, we hope, unless there is a major cover-up like the banking tribunal.
My question today is simple: What will Commissioner Harris do now? Will he take action and will heads and helmets roll? It seems we have a culture of endemic corruption that is so rooted in the Irish Gardai that it will take years to re train this private army who have had no supervision based on morality or ethics for decades. I said before and now: If the people of Ireland have a Garda Force that is entrenched with corruption, Society will not be able to develop with any equity of social justice. At the moment and it is sad to say this, but the people of Ireland now are becoming immune because it is scandal begets scandal every day; into every week, into every year. One retired Garda recently told me when the full scale of corruption and rogue officers are exposed it will rock this country to its knees and the Government hopefully along with it.
Fred
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Tags Commission of Investigation
Martin Kenny
O’Higgins report
Sligo-Leitrim
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Leitrim TD claims gardaí asked informant to carry out burglary at his …
https://www.thejournal.ie/martin-kenny-garda-allegations-2789463-May2016/
Leitrim TD claims gardaí asked informant to carry out burglary at his house
The Sinn Féin deputy made a host of fresh allegations about garda malpractice in Sligo-Leitrim.
May 26th 2016, 1:59 PM 37,629 Views 100 Comments
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Source: Cathy Power/YouTube
SINN FÉIN TD Martin Kenny has made a number of allegations about garda malpractice in the Sligo-Leitrim division.
Speaking in the Dáil this afternoon, the new deputy called for a commission of investigation into the various incidents that allegedly occurred over the past nine years.
He claimed that gardaí in the area have, in that time,:
engaged active criminals as informants;
run their own informants outside of the official Covert Handling of Intelligence Sources (CHIS) scheme;
used informants they have control over to entrap and prosecute people;
protected other “rogue gardaí” with secrecy and denial.
He said he is aware of these issues because of discussions with garda whistleblowers – both serving and former members of the force – and alleged informants.
He claimed that a garda informant told him that he was asked by named gardaí to carry out a burglary at his own home.
“The informant claims he did not carry out the robbery. However, my house was broken into in March 2007 and items of value were stolen. I was an elected member of Leitrim County Council at that time,” he said in the chamber.
Missing man
Kenny also raised concerns about the investigation into missing Leitrim man Pat Heeran.
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The man, who he said suffered with addiction issues and was held in high regard in the community, disappeared in 2011 from his Aughavas home.
“Around the time he was reported missing, there was a memo distributed to gardaí about a Pat from Leitrim having been abducted and killed,” he said.
“When they arrived at the home of Pat Heeran to check into the report that he was missing, they considered the real possibility of something sinister and wanted to have the house sealed off as a possible crime scene.
However, senior gardaí dismissed this possibility and told them to make the usual inquiries and he would turn up drunk somewhere.
“After some time, when gardaí management finally agreed to seal off and examine the house, they found it had been burgled in the meantime and was therefore forensically violated for the purpose of evidence gathering.
“There were also a number of individuals with links to Pat Heeran who the investigation team never even questioned – to the dismay of local gardaí.
It is now known that a garda informant was among the last people to be in Pat Heeran’s company before he disappeared.
“Pat Heeran has never been found and his mother and siblings are heartbroken.”
The question is, ‘Was the protection of informants put before the proper investigation into the disappearance of Pat Heeran?’
Stolen tractor
In another alleged incident, Kenny detailed how a man was charged with the possession of a stolen tractor “although there was no evidence other than the tractor may have been collected from beside a farmyard owned by this man”.
According to the deputy, the man had “co-operated totally with the initial garda investigation and was not considered a suspect by gardaí”.
However, a detective sergeant then took over the case and directed that the man be charged, also “to the dismay of the other gardaí.”
Kenny continued: “As the man left the garda station, this detective sergeant followed him and waved the charge sheet at him, saying ‘I can make this go away if you bring me the real culprit.’”
Threats to gardaí
One of the most serious incidents, Kenny said, involves threats to the safety of two serving gardaí from a criminal gang.
“The detailed plans of a group of criminals preparing to attack these two gardaí at their private homes was known about by senior gardaí and for weeks the information was withheld from these men – both of whom have young families,” he read in the chamber.
“The two serving gardaí accidentally found out that the gang were going to attack their homes and had been at their houses at a number of occasions.
“The two gardaí later discovered that one of the gang was reporting his criminal activity to CHIS and that he was also working outside the formal informant programme for other gardaí.
“When confronted on the issue, a very senior garda eventually admitted he knew about the planned attack, but ‘needed to protect the source of the information’.
“The very distraught gardaí were then assured that this would never happen again. And that any potential threats would be communicated and appropriate action taken.
“However, a short time after this, one of these same gardaí was on duty alone in a garda station in Leitrim. He went off duty at 4am and went home. At 8.30am, he got a call to come back in because the station had been attacked and vandalised.
During questioning of a man who had admitted the attack on the garda station, this man claimed he was paid €100 by another local man with a criminal record.
“The garda concerned later learned that there was information in the possession of more senior gardaí that the garda station could be the subject of an arson attack on that very night.
“This garda was in the station alone all night and was not informed of the possibility of any attack.
“The man who it is alleged paid to have the attack carried out was an informant working for CHIS,” concluded Kenny.
Entrapment
The TD also brought up two incidents of alleged entrapment during his speech this afternoon.
“There is an allegation that a garda informant working under the direction of two gardaí robbed tools and a generator from a builder’s shed and then sold the generator to a man whose house was searched the next day and the stolen property recovered,” he revealed.
“The man was subsequently charged and convicted of having stolen property.”
“Another allegation is that a garda informant was instructed by his handlers to set a trap at an NCT centre. He placed money in a car as a bribe to get the car through the test. The car had a minor defect and should not have passed the NCT.
“The informant then told an employee at the NCT centre that the car was nearly OK and he had left a few euros in it. The car was passed and that employee was later charged and convicted with accepting a bribe. And he lost his job.”
“The main witness in the case was a garda informant,” said Kenny.
More recent episodes
Kenny noted that many of the incidents allegedly occurred several years ago but claimed that he has also had contact by serving gardaí who have also made allegations of malpractice.
“It is alleged that senior officers have reprimanded guards who have tried to investigate, or raise concerns about criminal activity, including drug offences, breaches of bail conditions and firearms offences,” he said.
It is also alleged that senior gardaí in Leitrim have been engaged in aggressive and vindictive behaviour towards other members of the gardaí and abuses of positions of authority are common practice leading to an atmosphere of fear and tension throughout the ranks.
In one February 2015 alleged incident, gardaí discovered of pipe bomb along a road near Drumshambo in County Leitrim. The two uniformed gardaí who found the pipe bomb are now being disciplined for their activity around the discovery, Kenny revealed.
“There is widespread disquiet at all ranks in the county that these gardaí who done their job properly are being disciplined,” he added.
It could have the effect; some believe the intended effect, of discouraging other gardaí in the Leitrim district from taking an interest in criminal activity in case they are also disciplined.
In a separate incident, a detective garda in Leitrim became aware of the existence of a gun in the possession of a member of a criminal gang operating in the area. However the information was not put on the PULSE system, no searches were carried out and it was kept secret from almost all gardaí in the Leitrim district.
“A uniform garda inadvertently found out about it and confronted the detective who confirmed it had been reported to him and it was being kept quiet,” continued Kenny.
“The garda immediately reported this to a sergeant who, in turn, confronted senior garda management, who confirmed that they had known about it since its initial reporting. The sergeant expressed concern that uniform members should be made aware of this situation.
“As a result of this, a document was sent informing gardaí in the Sligo Leitrim Division that this person may have a gun; this was nine days after the initial report. This was despite the fact that this alleged criminal was carrying out his activities over a large region.”
Failure to inform gardaí nationwide placed gardaí at an enormous risk. The failure to investigate this also placed members of the public at risk.
Fobbed off
Kenny noted that two members of the force brought these concerns in relation to the handling of intelligence sources to the attention of former commissioner Martin Callinan in 2009 but were “fobbed off”.
Three years later, they approached Justice Minister Alan Shatter with the information. Then in 2014, they held a four-hour meeting with two officials from his office.
Nothing ever came from meeting other than a letter to say no action would be taken, according to Kenny.
As he concluded his speech, he noted that some of the allegations are “right up to date” as well.
“If true, the conclusion of these accusations, is that a small cohort within the gardaí in Leitrim have considered criminal activity as an opportunity for their own advancement and at times have manipulated situations for their own advancement,” he continued.
“The only way forward is for the Minister to establish a Commission of Investigation into the matters I have raised here today and any other instances of alleged malpractice that may come to forward in the future.”
These Rogue Cops are still working in the Leitrim Division, does any Garda face charges here, No, and they wont, the Corruption and Collusion here goes right up to the top Ranks in Leitrim,
Fred,
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Imagine if he brought to the Garda station a head of cabbage from Tesco along with the Cannabis valued I think at £10. The question you have to ask is – he is certainly not an international drug lord but now lucky for him he will get the care and the treatment he deserves. This is Ireland the land of equality or I am DREAMING.
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Extract from newspapers
Man took cannabis to gardai to complain about the quality
‘Liwembe, a former student nurse with an address at an asylum-seekers’ reception centre, pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of cannabis and other charges’ (stock photo)
‘Liwembe, a former student nurse with an address at an asylum-seekers’ reception centre, pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of cannabis and other charges’ (stock photo)
A cannabis user took a bag of the drug to a garda station to complain that it was “not of good quality”.
Arthur Liwembe (33) was immediately arrested after he went to the station of his own accord and presented the cannabis to a garda on duty to say he was not happy with his purchase.
Judge John Hughes said Liwembe’s behaviour was “illogical to say the least” and was indicative of a cannabis-induced “psychosis”.
He adjourned the case for a probation report.
Liwembe, a former student nurse with an address at an asylum-seekers’ reception centre, pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of cannabis and other charges.
Gda Ian Foley told Dublin District Court Liwembe went to Kilmainham Garda Station last July 10 and produced a bag of cannabis valued at €10.
He was searched and a box-cutter knife was found on him. The blade was for use in his work as a handyman, said defence solicitor Anne Fitzgibbon.
Aggressive
Gda Foley told Judge Hughes that he believed Liwembe was suffering from problems at the time.
“He said he had bought the drugs and believed them not to be of good quality and that was why he attended the garda station,” Gda Foley said.
He was arrested on a later date when he returned, asked for the confiscated knife to be returned and became aggressive when this was refused.
Separately, Liwembe admitted repeatedly trespassing at an address where he used to live and work at Tyrconnell Road, Inchicore.
The court heard he got in without permission and damaged an internal door on one occasion.
Once, he was discovered in a bedroom and told gardai he was “just trying to sleep” and was under the “misapprehension that he still lived there”.
The accused came here from Malawi in 2012 as a student nurse but his visa ran out and he applied for residency on the basis of having an Irish-born child, Ms Fitzgibbon said.
Liwembe had been using cannabis, which could lead to “transient psychotic symptoms”, the lawyer added.
He was now off the drug.
Judge Hughes remanded him on continuing bail.
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