Department to advance inquiry into boy’s death

THE Justice Department has reiterated its intention to press ahead the impending inquiry into the death of a 14-year-old boy after he had been in garda custody.

The terms of reference of the inquiry are expected to be revealed by the Justice Minister later this week.

Yesterday however, the parents of the dead boy, through their legal representative, accused the department of dragging its heels on the matter.

On the third anniversary of the death of Brian Rossiter, who fell into a coma while detained in Clonmel Garda Station on September 10, 2002, the boy’s parents Pat and Siobhán Rossiter said in the statement: “For us however on this anniversary, no different to the two that have gone before, we are distracted with frustration and anger as we feel once again ignored by the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Michael McDowell and his department.”

On the June 29 last Mr McDowell announced a statutory inquiry into all the circumstances surrounding Brian’s arrest, treatment and detention at Clonmel Garda Station.

“His (the Minister’s) office indicated that draft terms of reference would be furnished to us within that week but when the media focus moved on, nothing happened. Week has followed week and it is now 11 weeks later with no progress,” the Rossiters said.

A spokesperson for the minister said last night that the department had been in regular contact with the family’s lawyer throughout the summer.

Two days before Brian was arrested on suspicion of public order offences, he was involved in an incident in his home town of Clonmel, and local man Noel Hannigan was subsequently charged with assaulting him causing him harm on September 8, 2002. Mr Hannigan was subsequently charged with assault causing serious harm and man-slaughter, but these charges have since been withdrawn as they were preferred against him without authorisation from the DPP.