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More gardaí facing probes for gender-based assault – McEntee

Updated / Wednesday, 27 Jul 2022 15:43 UP DATED BY WATCHROOT AUGUST 2023.

The Minister for Justice has said that an unspecified number of gardaí are under investigation for gender-based assault.

Helen McEntee was speaking following the sentencing of former Garda, Paul Moody who tortured and terrorised a cancer patient.

He pleaded guilty to a charge of coercive control of the woman and was jailed for three-and-a-quarter-years.

Speaking on RTÉ’s News At One, Ms McEntee said that issues of gender-based control “absolutely exist within the [garda] organisation”.

“There are cases ongoing at the moment. I know that but I don’t have a figure of how many have actually been convicted or how many have been identified.

“I do know there is a greater emphasis being placed on (addressing) it.

“The Garda Commissioner in particular has made this a priority, not just the gardaí supporting victims but rooting this out from within his own organisation.”

She added: “In this particular case, the moment the severity of these accusations came to light, this Garda member was suspended.

“He was not dismissed because a person is entitled to due process but he is now no longer a member of [An Garda Síochána].”

Ms McEntee continued: “From the moment these allegations came to light, there has been a very determined position taken by the gardaí to bring forward the case he has been prosecuted (for).”

She accepted that people were questioning why Paul Moody’s behaviour had not been identified and addressed earlier.

“I know people are asking how has this not been flagged before?

“People have to go through particular tests and particular training to get into the gardaí.

“I’ve spoken to the Garda Commissioner on this because I think we all want to make sure … measures are put in place to identify these types of people in An Garda Síochána.

“The commissioner has assured me of a number of areas of work that are happening.”

She added: “We know that this individual used the pulse system in his abuse. There are measures that have been taken to change the way in which that system is used and that there is supervision.

“I don’t think we can ever say there will never be a person in a position of power that doesn’t abuse that power – but we can certainly do everything that we can to try and prevent it”.

Earlier, Chief Executive of Women’s Aid Sarah Benson said there can be a chilling effect on victims if a person in a “position of standing” engages in coercive control.

Describing legislation surrounding coercive control as a “game changer”, she said victims of abuse who come forward show “extraordinary strength”.

Ms Benson was speaking on RTÉ’s Morning Ireland after a garda who tortured and terrorised a woman ill with cancer was sentenced to three-and-a-quarter-years in prison.

Paul Moody, who was stationed at Irishtown Garda Station in Dublin, pleaded guilty to a charge of coercive control of the woman.

The 42-year-old beat, kicked, punched and choked the woman over a two-and-a-half-year period, as well as sending her over 31,000 threatening, abusive, degrading and demeaning texts and phone communications.

Ms Benson said all coercive control cases going through the courts are significant as they are based on recent legislation.

She said: “Coercive control is not about a single incident. It is about a pattern of behaviour.

“It is about a persistent and multifaceted way of targeting somebody to wear them down and in many instances it does not have to include physical or sexual abuse, although it can.

“In many instances, if you take each one on its own, they may not seem like criminal offences.

“But when you put them together, you see the enormous impact on the victim, and so it’s a new way of trying to address what is domestic violence.”

She reiterated that people will be believed when they talk about the abuse, whoever the perpetrator is.

The maximum sentence of five years for coercive control may have to be examined, Ms Benson said, adding that a higher level of sentencing should be considered.

Ms Benson said she has “great confidence” from the statements by gardaí involved in yesterday’s court case that they responded thoroughly and without hesitation to the report by the victim.

There was shock among members of the Garda Representative Association after details of the case emerged, its president said.

Brendan O’Connor told the same programme it was hard for members to comprehend that a fellow garda was involved in such a “terrible, terrible thing”.

He said An Garda Siochána ensured the victim got justice and ensured the case was investigated to a very high level.

“We want to reach out to victims and assure them it doesn’t matter who the perpetrator of a crime against them is.

“If you make a complaint to one of our members, it will be pursued and you will be have your rights vindicated,” he said.

Mr O’Connor said that he did not believe there was a failure of gardaí to scrutinse Moody.

It is very hard to prevent “a very focused and driven criminal with such evil intent”, he said.

The investigation was extremely thorough once it became apparent that there was a problem, he said.

A legislative change would be required to prevent Moody from receiving a garda pension, Mr O’Connor said, adding that he understood why people find this difficult to understand after the abuse of his position.

“It’s certainly something that needs to be looked at going forward,” he said.

The case of Paul Moody is an opportunity for everyone to increase their understanding coercive control, CEO of the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre, Noeline Blackwell has said.

On RTÉ’s Today with Claire Byrne, she paid tribute to the victim and her tenacity in surviving the abuse and also praised gardaí who instigated the investigation.

“It is a way … for all of us to build our knowledge of what this thing called coercive control is, and to understand how deeply damaging it can be to somebody.”

The headline sentencing for the crime will need to be re-examined, Ms Blackwell said, adding that the Judge was constricted by the law as it stands when sentencing was handed down to Moody yesterday.