Garda acting as Bastards again

national | crime and justice | news report

Tuesday May 16, 2006 19:40

by Frank Hand

Pat Rossiter beats Public Order Charge

Just how low the garda will stoop has been shown again when they arrested Pat Rossiter and put him into the cell where his 14 year old son had sustained the injuries which killed him.
Pat has now won the Public Order case against him and intends to sue the gardai for wrongful arrest.

It has just been reported on the radio that Pat Rossiter, the father of 14 year old Brian who died in police custody in 2002, is to bring a case against the garda for wrongful arrest. The Public Order case against Mr. Rossiter was dismissed last week in Clonmel District Court. The judge raised serious questions about the way the case was handled.
Mr. Rossiter claimed that he was victimised by the garda because of his highlighting of the case of the suspicious death of his son. The viciousness of the garda involved was shown by them putting Mr. Rossiter into the same cell where his son had received the injuries which killed him.
These are the types of bastards employed as ‘guardians of the public’. This case has so many similarities to the Wheelock and Moloney cases. All three were very young working class men who died as a result of being in garda custody and there was a major cover-up in all of their cases.
The prospects of any of these families getting justice is dependent on them supporting each other and getting support from other people who have been abused by the garda. People who were attacked by the gardai in the so called “May Day riots” or those who were assaulted on the anti war protests at Easter should also get involved in supporting cases such as the Rossiters. This is why the McBrearty case is so important. The McBrearty case and Morris reports have cast a serious doubt over the current ethos of the garda. People who would normally support the garda now realise that all the accusations against the garda over the years wasn’t just politically motivated, there was actually truth in the claims. Politically activate people, particularly republicans of all hues, realise that the primary role of the garda is to protect the establishment. With the publication of the Morris reports, the McBrearty case, the Dean Lyons case etc… ordinary people are also realising that the gardai are not simply there to “Protect and Serve”. A concrete result of this mistrust of the garda is the establishment of the new Independent Garda Inspectorate. While far from perfect, it is a lot better than the useless Garda Complaints Board. Prior to the scandals about garda abuse no politician would have had the guts to take on such a powerful interest group as the garda. Now, even McDowell is facing down their bullyboy tactics in resisting the establishment of the reserve.

Both the Wheelocks and Moloneys are looking for support over the coming months. It is the duty of all those who want to expose the corruption of the garda to help these people as much as possible. Here are a couple of events which people could use to show their support. Both campaigns need financial support as well as physical support.

Protest at Bertie Ahern’s Clinic
Drumcondra Bridge
Saturday 20th May at 11am

Benefit Night for Campaign For Justice For John Moloney
Transport Club Crumlin
Saturday 20th May at 8pm
Disco €5
Tickets available in Connolly Books, 7 Bloom Lane, Dublin 1

Justice for Terence Wheelock
Protest at Store Street Garda Station
Saturday 3rd June
Meet at 12:00am at Sean McDermot Street Church