Release of Garda details on death will await inquest

The Garda Siochana confirmed yesterday it would not be making public any details of its inquiry into the shooting dead by gardai of Mr John Carthy in Co Longford last week until his inquest.

This may not take place for up to six months, according to legal sources.

The Gardai conceded there would be some delay in getting the information into the public domain. However, it said the inquest should establish all the circumstances surrounding the incident, including how many bullets struck Mr Carthy and whether his shotgun was loaded when he was shot.

A Garda spokesman said "the family can be legally represented at the inquest and can ask any question they wish which is deemed necessary and relevant. The jury and the coroner can also ask any question they wish."

Gardai will make a report to the inquest on the circumstances surrounding the death, as they are obliged to do under the Coroners Act 1962. However, the report of the internal Garda inquiry into the incident - headed by Chief Supt Aidan Culligan from Cork - will not be read into the record.

Rather, this will be forwarded directly to the Garda Commissioner, Mr Pat Byrne, who said yesterday the inquiry would be broadened to examine whether non-lethal weaponry such as stun-guns should be used in future siege situations. He said the inquiry would also look into how Mr Carthy received a licence for his gun.

A Garda spokesman said gardai may or may not make a statement on these aspects of the inquiry at the inquest. He added that it was hoped the inquiry would be completed within weeks, enabling the inquest to take place in two to four months.

Legal sources said, however, that, given the number of people to be interviewed for the case, it was unlikely the inquest would take place so soon. Often more straightforward inquests did not take place until a year after the death.

Mr Carthy's family will be able to call witnesses such as the State Pathologist, Dr John Harbison, to give evidence at the inquest, which will be held in public before a jury.

In a statement yesterday, the Garda Commissioner expressed his wish "that the circumstances of this tragic occurrence would be brought into the public arena". However, he did not specify this should happen before the inquest.

Responding to the call yesterday by Mr Carthy's family for an independent inquiry, the Garda spokesman said this was not a matter for Garda comment.