Gardaí knew sex offender was on way to Brazil

BRAZIL’S ambassador to Ireland yesterday claimed the Government and gardaí were aware of a plan to repatriate a Brazilian prior to his appearance at the inquest of a 14-year-old Irish girl he had raped.

A storm of controversy erupted at the inquest on Wednesday into the death of Jamie Maughan when it emerged the Brazilian Embassy had assisted Weldo Froitas Cavalcante return home last month after his release from Cloverhill Prison, where he had served a term for statutory rape. Cavalcante had been issued with a summons to attend the inquest. Jamie’s body was found behind a derelict house at Harmony Heights in Cavan Town on July 2, 2004, seven days after she was last seen alive.

Cavalcante, in his 20s, was her boyfriend at the time and Jamie had died in his house. A friend of Cavalcante gave evidence at the inquest that he had admitted to dumping her body. Cavalcante was only charged with statutory rape.

The inquest heard that Jamie had enough ecstasy in her blood to kill her. On Wednesday, Jamie’s solicitor said the Department of Foreign Affairs must seek an explanation from the Brazilian ambassador as to why Cavalcante’s summons to the inquest was ignored.

Speaking on RTÉ Radio yesterday, Brazil’s ambassador to Ireland, Stelio Marcos Amarante, said the prison service, the Garda National Immigration Bureau (GNIB) and the Department of Justice were all aware the Brazilian Embassy intended to repatriate him. “They knew that we intended to give him a ticket to go back to Brazil ... when he would be released ... (we were) in constant contact with all the Irish authorities. They were aware we had the ticket for him. That was not a novelty and everything was prepared, the only request was that he be escorted by a Brazilian officer to the airport.”

A statement from the Brazilian embassy last night said Cavalcante’s court services-appointed lawyer assured the embassy he was under no legal obligation to stay in Ireland.

“Furthermore, during the three days in which Mr Cavalcante remained in the country awaiting departure, his accommodation expenses were covered by the Irish authorities.”

The embassy apologised for any misunderstanding, adding: “Should the Irish judicial authorities consider it necessary for Mr Cavalcante to provide further clarification, this may be achieved by means of a rogatory letter sent to the Brazilian Criminal Justice.”

Mr Amarante said the GNIB “knew we could give him a provisional document just to leave the country. All the Irish authorities knew and it would have been very easy for them just to give instructions to the airport immigration not to allow him to leave.”

Yesterday, gardaí confirmed they were aware an order for the deportation of Cavalcante existed, but they chose not to enforce it prior to the inquest. “We also seized his passport but the Brazilian Embassy subsequently facilitated his departure from Ireland on a temporary travel permit.”

Last night, the Department of Justice said that Justice Minister Michael McDowell had instructed gardaí not to enact the deportation order until after the inquest. Yesterday, the Department of Foreign Affairs said if Jamie’s family made contact with, “they would look at any representations from the family and raise any relevant issues arising from those issues with the Brazilian Embassy”.