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Vincent Browne has taken this story to heart. It is an extremely serious incident, and one that I believe people do not know enough about. In fact it’s not extremely serious, it’s blatantly and completely unbelievable that this could happen in any country that claims to be a democracy.
The long and short of it is, that in 2002 in Clonmel, a 14 year old boy went into a Garda cell and came out of it dead.
There are very serious inconsistencies in this story, that would lead a reasonable person to call for a fully independent investigation into the circumstances of the death of Brian Rossiter.
But the arms of the State do not see it that way. There are extremely serious questions to be asked of the behaviour of the Minister for Justice, Michael McDowell. Various things about this story could shock a reasonable person, but to me, what is most shocking is the behaviour of An Garda Siochana and the Minister.
Here is the Irish Times reports on it:
Brian Rossiter was involved in a row with an older man in the town around September 8th, 2002, during which he received a black eye. He was also complaining of headaches.
Two days later he was arrested and taken into custody on suspicion of having committed public order offences following the breaking of windows in the town.
His father Pat Rossiter said he consented to his son being held overnight in custody at the time because he felt that a “short, sharp shock” would teach him a lesson.
Gardaí told him Brian had overdosed on alcohol and ecstasy, but two toxicology tests showed no alcohol or drugs in his system.
So prima facia the Gardai lied to the family. It is also illegal for a 14 year old to be held in a Garda cell overnight. Brian was taken from the cell in a coma, and died after having his life support machine switched off.
There are reasonable grounds for an independent, non-Garda investigation into the circumstances of someone becoming comatose in Garda custody and subsequently dying. More importantly when that person was a minor.
I will be coming back to this story following the outrageous comments of Mae Sexton (PD) on the VB show last night. This has also been posted on my corruption in Ireland weblog.
8 comments
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24/6/2005 at 9:38 am
auds
Mae Sexton is PD not FF.
It is a truly horrifying story,
24/6/2005 at 5:56 pm
Gavin Sheridan
My mistake aud, but then there is little telling them apart these days. Horrifying indeed.
28/6/2005 at 10:33 pm
Cian O'Carroll
Don’t forget the Garda Commissioner in all of this. He just released a statement on Fri 24th June saying how he would welcome the opportunity to put th e”facts” of the case on the record but he is precluded from so doing because a case is pending before Clonmel Circuit Court.
This is a bogus use of sub judice and he must know it. The man before the courts is charged with assaulting Brian Rossiter on the 8th Sept, 2002 - nothing more. Therefore there could be no possible prejudice to his trial by the Commissioner coming out and explaining exactly Brian was arrested, why he was detained in an adult cell on his own, why his parents were lied to about his conduct and consumption of drugs, why a doctor was not called since he was so “intoxicated” and a host of other questions. There is nothing to stop the Commissioner from talking but of course the old trick of hiding behind sub judice is pretty handy when you want ot dodge the question.
1/7/2005 at 9:54 am
Sharon McCormack
The Police force in this country seem to think they are above the law with good reason. any crimes they commit they get away with. i believe surveilance cameras should be installed in every police station in the country try and curb the violence that the police get away with.some awfull crimes commited by gardai have come to light in recent times. but they rarely even make the front page in the newspapers, hidden somewhere in the middle in a small by line!!! THIS COUNTRY NEEDS TO WAKE UP….and demand thatthe many victims of police brutality get justice. Solicitors even advise clients not to take cases against the cops because in one Top Irish Solicitors words ” they are untouchable”
11/7/2005 at 4:29 pm
John
I feel it is unfair to the gardai to blame them for the kids death as the state patholigist has confirmed he died of trauma and bleeding over a couple of days and not the few hours he was in garda custody.
the parents must hold some responsibility for allowing their son to be in the situation where he was beaten and then 2 nights later arrested.
people will jump on the band wagon and claim this was police brutality but nothing i see in the facts points to this in my opinion
28/7/2005 at 12:07 pm
sharon
john, wake up sweetheart!! i think its grossly unfair to blame the childs parents, at the end of the day while the Brian was in custody it was the job of the gardai to moniter him, if this was done correctly it would have been obhivous the child needed medical attention. The Guards then tried to say the kid was high on alcahol and drugs yet none were found in his system!! nobody is policing the gardai thats the problem. the guards are rife with corruption.John you only have to read the papers to realise that. the fact that the police can do no wrong stinks of upper middle class idealogy!! Instead of blaming Brian’s Parents. Ask why he had to die in the first place under the wonderfull care of our police system. If Brians Dad was Doctor or Solicitor do you think the matter would would be swept under the Carpet. kids get in trouble no matter what socio-economic group they belong to.Unfortunately working class kids end up dead in Cells… buy a Newspaper John Brian Rossiter wasnt the first…
29/4/2007 at 6:21 pm
a relative
im really hurt and upset to hear what john has been writing!! im related to brian rossiter through family and he didnt deserve this!! i lived in the area brian did and trust me its not a very nice place. he didnt go around causing arguments they came to him!! and you tell me what teenager nowadays doesnt drink BEHIND their parents backs?? it was not brians parents fault atall! i played with brians little sister katie and they had such a lovely family!! i just dont understand why people feel they can make such horrible remarks when they dont even no pat and Siobhán rossiter!!
12/2/2008 at 12:38 pm
Karen
This is a disgrace. How can we expect justice when the judicial system and the police system are in be togeather?