Donegal detective admits mistreating women

Morris tribunal: A Co Donegal detective garda has told the Morris tribunal that two women arrested as part of the investigation into the death of cattle-dealer Richie Barron in 1996 were mistreated both verbally and physically while in custody.

The tribunal heard yesterday that in a statement made to the inquiry on October 14th last, Det Garda John Dooley said that in the course of interviews, the two women had been verbally abused, had been shown postmortem photographs of Mr Barron and that the lights had been switched on and off to apply psychological pressure.

Det Garda Dooley had also stated that one of the women had had her hair pulled by female officer and that another garda had thrown a chair across the room during the questioning.

Sisters Róisín McConnell and Katrina Brolly had been arrested on December 4th, 1996, as part of the investigation into the death of Mr Barron. Ms McConnell's husband, Mark, and his cousin Frank McBrearty jnr, were arrested for the murder of the cattle-dealer.

In an opening statement at the start of a new module of the tribunal, Paul McDermott SC said that the sisters had subsequently made complaints about their treatment by gardaí.

However, the gardaí concerned had strenuously denied all allegations made against them.

Mr McDermott said this had now changed with the statement provided by Det Garda Dooley.

In this statement, Det Garda Dooley had admitted many of the allegations made against him and another officer, Det Sgt John White, by the two women. However, he strongly denied that either of them had physically assaulted the women.

"If it is true, Ms McConnell and Ms Brolly have been the subject of the most dreadful treatment whilst in detention and a most scandalous cover up by the gardaí involved," Mr McDermott said.

"If it is true, it also marks a significant breaking away from the culture of lies and deceit and the unwillingness to reveal a truth adverse to a colleague that has been an unfortunate feature of this inquiry. It would be a very positive and commendable development."

Mr McDermott said Det Garda Dooley accepted that both he and Det Sgt White had used foul language and raised their voices during the interview with Ms McConnell.

Det Garda Dooley said Det Sgt White had shouted at her, told her that she was a "lying, murdering bitch" and that he would have no sympathy for her if she was stabbed on the streets of Raphoe.

Det Garda Dooley also said that Det Sgt White had reminded Ms McConnell that her child could end up in care if she and her husband went to prison for the murder of Mr Barron.

Det Garda Dooley, in his statement, said Det Sgt White had asked Ms McConnell to pray to her late father for guidance and that he in turn would pray to Mr Barron for the truth. He said she had closed her eyes to avoid the graphic postmortem photographs of Mr Barron.

"While Sgt White was showing the photographs to Róisín McConnell, I switched on and off the light in the interview room on a number of occasions," he said. "I did this spontaneously and on my own initiative to sustain the pressure on Róisín McConnell."

Det Garda Dooley said that there had been no written record made of the postmortem pictures being shown, the lights being switched on and off or the use of profane language.

He also said in his statement that the postmortem photographs had also been shown to Ms Brolly and that the lights had been switched on and off and that he and Det Sgt White had used foul language and raised their voices while questioning her as well.

Garda Joan Gallagher had walked around the table, pulled Ms Brolly's hair and called her a lying bitch or words to that effect. He also said he had threatened to report Ms Brolly to the social services regarding the care of her children.

Mr McDermott said that both Det Sgt White and Garda Gallagher had strongly denied allegations of wrongdoing made against them by Ms McConnell and Ms Brolly.

He said that they had been asked if they wished to make any further statement in the light of Det Garda Dooley's submission.