Pub was inspected 128 times in 7 months

There were 128 inspections of the McBrearty premises between January and July 1997, and 89 summonses for breaches of the liquor…

There were 128 inspections of the McBrearty premises between January and July 1997, and 89 summonses for breaches of the liquor licensing laws in a year and a half, the tribunal was told.

These were all withdrawn on direction of the DPP in June 2000.

This contrasted with five convictions for breaches of the licensing laws against Mr McBrearty snr in the previous decade.

The tribunal yesterday began examining allegations of Garda harassment of the McBreartys.

READ MORE

These included excessive enforcement of the liquor licensing laws and the mounting of checkpoints close to the family's nightclub; the creation and distribution of defamatory leaflets and slogans; abusive telephone calls and hoax bomb calls to the family, and the making of possibly false complaints to the Garda by members of the public; and alleged harassment of private investigators employed by the McBreartys.

The tribunal heard that Mr McBrearty snr bought a public house in Raphoe, The Parting Glass, in 1977. It was extended, and a nightclub opened about 1990. Until January 1997, he had little trouble with the gardaí.

However, this changed a few months after the death of Richie Barron.

However, the Garda claimed that from 1994 a major public order problem had developed in Raphoe, mainly centred on Frankie's nightclub. A huge number of young people came into the town to attend the disco and there was a high level of drug abuse and assaults, it was claimed.

Sgt White outlined in a document responding to the McBrearty complaints that buses were laid on to bring people free to the club, drinks were on special offer at £1 each, with the entry fee being reduced from £5 to £1, leading to up to 1,000 young people coming into the town.

Mr McBrearty also complained about posters and flyers referring to "the murdering McBreartys" and a number of hoax calls.

Mr Anthony Barr BL, a member of the tribunal's legal team, said a Garda informant, Mr Willie Doherty, had admitted distributing the leaflets, claiming Sgt White had given them to him. One of the calls was traced to his house, and another Garda informant, dealt with by the tribunal last week, Mr Noel McBride, told the internal Garda inquiry by Asst Commissioner Carty that he had been with him while he made other calls.