Gardai Comments

The Dublin Rape Crisis Centre, Amnesty, the Council for Civil Liberties and One in Four have all condemned comments allegedly made by gardaí in Co Mayo, in which they allegedly joked about threatening to rape a female anti-Shell protestor who had been arrested.

Ellen O'Malley-Dunlop of the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre said any suggestive remarks about rape were not acceptable, whatever the circumstances, "but because they were in uniform, this is absolutely unacceptable".

She added that based on her experience, the comments were not reflective of a general attitude in the Force.

Meanwhile, the Garda Ombudsman is investigating the alleged comments.

Their damning conversation was inadvertently taped after a video camera seized from the activists was left recording in the back of a patrol car.

Amnesty International, Rape Crisis Network Ireland and politicians accused the officers of an abuse of power and breach of trust.

One of the campaigners at the centre of the scandal, a member of the anti-Corrib group Shell to Sea, insisted the threats would not deter her from protesting.

“These are supposed to be the men that women go to if they experience a sexual assault or harassment. Who are they supposed to go to now?” she asked.

A 37-minute clip of the conversation has been viewed more than 11,000 times online.

It includes threats to deport and rape one of the protesters who refused to give her name.

One garda starts the conversation off saying that one of the women “sounds like a Yank or Canadian”.

Another officer joins in: “Well, whoever, we’ll get immigration f****** on her.”

A more senior garda, understood to be a sergeant, adds: “She refused to give her name and address and was told she would be arrested.”

A colleague joins in: “And deported.”

Before the sergeant says: “And raped.”

Jonathan O’Brien, Sinn Féin justice spokesman, said gardaí had a lot of questions to answer.

“For somebody to put their trust in the gardaí and to have it betrayed in this manner, it’s not on and it’s very disturbing,” he said.

Socialist Party MEP Paul Murphy called for the officers to be suspended immediately.

“The remarks are stomach-churning and illustrate a culture within the gardaí in Rossport of absolute disregard and dehumanisation of protesters,” he said.

A superintendent from outside Co Mayo has been brought in to oversee an internal investigation into the allegations.

Formal complaints are to be lodged with the Garda Ombudsman from the two women and also Sinn Féin.

The unnamed protester said she would be back at the Mayo protests, now in their eighth year, despite worries over what the gardaí said and publicising the recording.

“I think in the beginning it was just shock but because I’ve had to listen to it many times it seems to get more disturbing the more I hear it,” she said.

“It’s terrifying for campaigners but it’s much more serious for women living in the area.

She added: “I’ve had the privilege of being around the community in north Mayo and hearing what they have been through. I don’t think there’s a more important place in Ireland for me to be than there in solidarity with them.”

Shell to Sea protest spokeswoman Caoimhe Kerins said: “This is shocking and extremely serious. It is very frightening for those of us involved in the campaign.”


Divisive dispute

Corrib has been the most bitterly divisive industrial project in Ireland for a decade.

Some opponents criticise the State contract with Shell which guarantees the energy giant massive profits from natural gas fields containing tens of millions, if not billions of euro, worth of supplies.

Locals have fought for years over the pipeline route in the north Mayo Gaeltacht – across bogland, near isolated homes and through Sruwaddacon Bay, an area of outstanding beauty, and the high pressure being used to pump gas onshore.

Five men, the Rossport Five, spent 94 days in jail in 2005 after refusing to agree not to protest.

One of them, Willie Corduff, was badly beaten by a private security firm in a late night sit down protest in 2009.

Sinn Féin claimed there were wider questions over the policing of Corrib, which has cost €14m up to January 2010.

There have been 111 complaints to the Garda Ombudsman over policing at Corrib - 78 were deemed admissible and seven files were sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions.

One file, dealing with a number of incidents and officers, was sent to the Garda Commissioner’s office calling for disciplinary procedures.

No action has been taken. The ombudsman’s public interest inquiry is only the sixth of its kind since the office was officially opened in May 2007.

Following the publication of the recording, an observer from the Frontline human rights group is to be sent to Mayo to monitor policing.

During the conversation the officers appear to egg each other on.

The senior officer says: “Give me your name and address or I’ll rape you.”

There is laughter and another officer says: “Hold it there, give me your name and address there, I’ll rape you.”

The senior replies: “Or I’ll definitely rape you.”

Susan McKay, chief executive of the National Women’s Council of Ireland, called on Garda Commissioner Martin Callinan to act immediately against the officers at the centre of the scandal.

“These officers displayed levels of sexism and stupidity that are extremely worrying in a 21st century police force,” she said.

Leading sex abuse support group One in Four said it was astonished to hear gardaí appear to totally abuse their power.

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Hope these fools get to spend time on the landings of Mountjoy...Pillars of the community joke...

Excerpts from the Irish Times:

1. The conversation continued in jocular fashion, with the more senior garda saying: “Give me your name and address or I’ll rape you

2. Will you be me friend on Facebook?

Quality reading. That's how these type of interrogations should be conducted in future, put a bit of fear in the criminal's mind.

Loyal2TheRoyal wrote:Excerpts from the Irish Times:

1. The conversation continued in jocular fashion, with the more senior garda saying: “Give me your name and address or I’ll rape you

2. Will you be me friend on Facebook?

Quality reading. That's how these type of interrogations should be conducted in future, put a bit of fear in the criminal's mind.

Good man Loyal nothing more than i would expect from you--

Anyone upholding Shell at Rossport deserves deportation at least.

This company are in court for simply shooting the protesters in Nigeria. By the sound of things we may not be too far away from that in Mayo.

mullins wrote:

Loyal2TheRoyal wrote:Excerpts from the Irish Times:

1. The conversation continued in jocular fashion, with the more senior garda saying: “Give me your name and address or I’ll rape you

2. Will you be me friend on Facebook?

Quality reading. That's how these type of interrogations should be conducted in future, put a bit of fear in the criminal's mind.

Good man Loyal nothing more than i would expect from you--

Let us not forget the two lady felons here Mullins who:
a) were in breack of the peace
b) refused to comply with members of An Garda Suiochana when asked for names and addresses
I would not like to live in qn Ireland where these type of people are given free reign to do what they like. If they were prepared to climb on a tractor and video tape themselves doing it and subsequently, refuse to co-operate with Gardai, then extra incentive to make sure they are taken off the streets should be allowed.

these people still have rights loyal and the gardai are there to up hold them not to threaten and abuse citizens , they should be suspended and if hold any rank demoted

Loyal2TheRoyal wrote:

mullins wrote:

Loyal2TheRoyal wrote:Excerpts from the Irish Times:

1. The conversation continued in jocular fashion, with the more senior garda saying: “Give me your name and address or I’ll rape you

2. Will you be me friend on Facebook?

Quality reading. That's how these type of interrogations should be conducted in future, put a bit of fear in the criminal's mind.

Good man Loyal nothing more than i would expect from you--

Let us not forget the two lady felons here Mullins who:
a) were in breack of the peace
b) refused to comply with members of An Garda Suiochana when asked for names and addresses
I would not like to live in qn Ireland where these type of people are given free reign to do what they like. If they were prepared to climb on a tractor and video tape themselves doing it and subsequently, refuse to co-operate with Gardai, then extra incentive to make sure they are taken off the streets should be allowed.

This is not loyals writing- release him or i'll phone the gardai..

Comments made in private by the Gardai not near or in the presence of any members of the public or the women they were joking about. And mullins wants them sent to the joy? On what charge mullins? Telling of a joke in poor taste?!

The only thing they did wrong here was fail to realise they were being recorded. People are ignoring the first part of their conversation which concerned how they could get the protesters down without injuring them and acknowledging the fact that they owed them a duty of care.

hipster 2 wrote:these people still have rights loyal and the gardai are there to up hold them not to threaten and abuse citizens , they should be suspended and if hold any rank demoted

Where and when did these Gardai threaten and abuse Citizens?

Jonsmith wrote:Comments made in private by the Gardai not near or in the presence of any members of the public or the women they were joking about. And mullins wants them sent to the joy? On what charge mullins? Telling of a joke in poor taste?!

The only thing they did wrong here was fail to realise they were being recorded. People are ignoring the first part of their conversation which concerned how they could get the protesters down without injuring them and acknowledging the fact that they owed them a duty of care.

unbelievable rubbish from you yet again

? can you not read

hipster 2 wrote:? can you not read

Can you?? They made the comments among themselves, not to the woman, under the illusion that they were talking in private. Threatening someone would imply that you intend to inform the person of the threat to them (of which there was none here)

So again: When did the abuse and threats to the women in question occur?

mullins wrote:

Jonsmith wrote:Comments made in private by the Gardai not near or in the presence of any members of the public or the women they were joking about. And mullins wants them sent to the joy? On what charge mullins? Telling of a joke in poor taste?!

The only thing they did wrong here was fail to realise they were being recorded. People are ignoring the first part of their conversation which concerned how they could get the protesters down without injuring them and acknowledging the fact that they owed them a duty of care.

unbelievable rubbish from you yet again

Would you care to elaborate on your "mountjoy" comment?

"They made the comments to themselves".

Interesting. The prisons in England are heavily populated by followers of Islam who allegedly were plotting to overthrow the state.

They were obviously making these comments to themselves and joking but..........

Nice try Jon, but legally absolutely terrible.

It was a joke your honour.........dear oh dear.

Must try harder.

patrique wrote:"They made the comments to themselves".

Interesting. The prisons in England are heavily populated by followers of Islam who allegedly were plotting to overthrow the state.

They were obviously making these comments to themselves and joking but..........

Nice try Jon, but legally absolutely terrible.

It was a joke your honour.........dear oh dear.

Must try harder.

I thought you reached your peak when comparing Bloody Sunday to Quinn's accident with Shefflin but you have truly outdone yourself with that idiotic comparison. Listen to the recording before you make a bigger fool of yourself.
The "to themselves" part is the crucial element, aside from the fact that it was so clearly said in jest that nothing would come of it legally, the fact that it was "to themselves" means no crime (assault etc - if the women were present) has been committed so there will be no "your honour" at any stage arising from the incident. The DPP would laugh them down the road if they suggested Conspiracy or Attempt. Keep up. (also didn't appreciate the personal dig there even if it did fall flat on it's face)

The media headlines are a disgrace too. I have spoken to 3 separate people today who didn't read the full story and were left with the impression that the Gardai had threatened to rape the women while arresting them.

One can only hope that our long-lost forum colleague, Peter Solan the Great's brother wasn't involved in this "hi-jinks" matter.......

Amazed that anyone here is trying to defend this in any way. Unfortunately for them they got caught 'chatting' - and down to their own stupidity in putting a recording camera in their own car too. The content of their chat is totally unacceptable however and I expect one if not two to lose their jobs. Saying no malice meant is more than a little lame.

Send them to Donegal. They can be immune to punishment there.

Clearly the comments are in bad taste
And clearly the persons involved owe the highest standard of care and ethics on such matters- given the role and nature of their occupation -
I don't know what the specific code is or what the benchmark is for gross misconduct -
but this is the only place that this matter can be dealt with - ie a breach of employer guidelines

As regards any wrongs against the people involved - purley looking at this from a Black and white (not the poster) perspective

- I would assume that the test is did the comments "make the arrested persons" genuinely believe that were at risk of a sexual assault - If not then I can't see that any civil or criminal wrong has been commited.

jonsmith i am not here to educate you if you dont know what is right or wrong well that is your misfortune

hipster 2 wrote:jonsmith i am not here to educate you if you dont know what is right or wrong well that is your misfortune

I assume you have now actually read what happened and realised that the Gardai did not abuse or threaten the women at all. This pleases me. You could have just said admitted that though, we all make mistakes.

Jonsmith wrote:

hipster 2 wrote:jonsmith i am not here to educate you if you dont know what is right or wrong well that is your misfortune

I assume you have now actually read what happened and realised that the Gardai did not abuse or threaten the women at all. This pleases me. You could have just said admitted that though, we all make mistakes.

Thats rich coming from you..

From hearing the tapes its clear the Gardaí involved are not Dubs. Sound like local accents so thats the kind of talk you'd expect really.

Jonsmith wrote:

patrique wrote:"They made the comments to themselves".

Interesting. The prisons in England are heavily populated by followers of Islam who allegedly were plotting to overthrow the state.

They were obviously making these comments to themselves and joking but..........

Nice try Jon, but legally absolutely terrible.

It was a joke your honour.........dear oh dear.

Must try harder.

I thought you reached your peak when comparing Bloody Sunday to Quinn's accident with Shefflin but you have truly outdone yourself with that idiotic comparison. Listen to the recording before you make a bigger fool of yourself.
The "to themselves" part is the crucial element, aside from the fact that it was so clearly said in jest that nothing would come of it legally, the fact that it was "to themselves" means no crime (assault etc - if the women were present) has been committed so there will be no "your honour" at any stage arising from the incident. The DPP would laugh them down the road if they suggested Conspiracy or Attempt. Keep up. (also didn't appreciate the personal dig there even if it did fall flat on it's face)

The media headlines are a disgrace too. I have spoken to 3 separate people today who didn't read the full story and were left with the impression that the Gardai had threatened to rape the women while arresting them.

Of course nothing will happen.

Living in a right wing, fascist police state, who have sold their very soul to Shell, guarantees that.

Fact is, if Shell were to order the rape of the women, Kenny would lead the way..........


PS: Surprised you had the legal grasp of comparing Quinn to Bloody Sunday.

Puke didn't.

they were only joking in fairness