Off-duty gardaí accused of assault on Christmas night out

A man has told a court he was assaulted by two off-duty gardaí who were looking for prostitutes during a Christmas night out in Limerick. Luke Morrison (19) claimed the gardaí tried to force their way into his home at Upper Cecil Street in Limerick, and later assaulted him and his brother after inquiring where they could find prostitutes.

In a contested case at Limerick District Court, the witness said he did not know if the apartment building where he lived was used as a brothel, but he was aware “there had been a lot of bad press in the area” about prostitutes.

David Naughton, Lucan, Dublin, and Wesley Kenny, Sandyford, Dublin – both based at Garda stations in Dublin – deny assaulting Mr Morrison and his brother, James Morrison, at Catherine Street, Limerick, on December 5th last.

Breffni Gordon, defending, told Limerick District Court that both men “vigorously” disputed the charges.

In the case before Judge Gráinne O Neill, the court was shown CCTV evidence of a fight which broke out outside Flannery’s Pub on Catherine Street, Limerick, on December 5th last year. Luke Morrison said in his evidence that he and his brother were beaten up in the altercation and that he had suffered “quite a few blows the head”.

He said earlier that evening he had met both the accused men when they tried to get in to his apartment on Upper Cecil Street by pushing in through the main front door, and he had stopped them.

His friend and girlfriend were with him at the time. He said the men said they were looking for “brazzers” which, he explained, meant prostitutes. He claimed they were drunk and he told them they were not welcome at his home.

The court heard that Luke Morrison met the two off-duty gardaí later that night outside Flannery’s pub as he was walking to a fast-food outlet with his brother James.

He said the gardaí put their hands up stating “we’re just looking for brazzers, no trouble, lads”. He said he told them there were no prostitutes on his road and they were not to come knocking on his door again.

He said he never knew they were gardaí until the assault happened when he said a Garda badge was “shoved in his face”.

The case continues today.