Shatter may review verdict on Offaly man's death

MINISTER FOR Justice Alan Shatter is to be asked to review the case of a Co Offaly man who drowned in 2002, but whose family alleges foul play.

Independent TD Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central), who raised the issue in the Dáil, said Shane Tuohey from Clara, Tullamore, Co Offaly, died on February 2nd, 2002 ,“when he went missing after a night out and was last seen at 4.20am”.

Mr McGrath said a Garda investigation concluded that foul play was not suspected and “the inquest found he had drowned by immersion in cold water”.

However, he added that other evidence had emerged and there were major concerns about Mr Tuohey’s death. He said there was “now genuine evidence that Shane was struck by somebody or by a car door”.

Mr McGrath said: “I’d ask the State and the Government to examine the wealth of new evidence that’s given rise to a suspicion of foul play.

“Shane was verbally and physically abused by a group of men in the months before his death.

“Can you find out or can any new investigation find out if it’s correct that witnesses have said that the abuse continued on the night of his death?” he asked the Minister.

Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform Brendan Howlin (Wexford) said he was aware of the case. “The family contacted me some years ago about this matter when I was justice spokesperson of my own party and also contacted the then leader of the Labour Party. We jointly sent a letter to the Garda Ombudsman at the time asking for an investigation.”

He added: “It is a worrying issue and on foot of the deputy raising it, I will ask my colleague the Minister for Justice to review the papers.”

Mr McGrath said: “In that little town, there is a remarkably high number of sophisticated CCTV cameras dotted around the town. Can the investigation find out why these tapes disappeared and where they are now?”

He also asked that any new investigation would “look at the evidence of Gregory Davis, an American forensic pathologist who said the case should remain open with the manner of death undetermined and with strong likelihood of suicide”.

Mr Howlin said he was “in no position to judge any of the facts and I don’t want to pre-empt any of the issues the deputy has brought to the House. What I am committed to doing on behalf of the Government is to ask my colleague the Minister for Justice to review the papers and to see what is the next appropriate step to take.”