Superiors ‘did not tell’ garda to show woman post-mortem photos

A FORMER detective superintendent yesterday dismissed as outrageous claims he had told a garda to flash post-mortem pictures at a woman during an aggressive interview designed to break her down.

Joseph Shelly, a retired detective superintendent, said Detective Sergeant John White was attempting to pass the blame on to senior officers for his own actions during interviews with two Donegal women in December 1996 in relation to the death of Richie Barron.

“He was there to establish the truth, he was a sergeant in the gardaí, he had experience, he knew what the regulations were, how he should conduct himself, that he didn’t do it, chairman,” Mr Shelly said.

“And he comes to this tribunal and in this manner tries to blame me or John McGinley or somebody else is outrageous. He has to take responsibility for his wrongdoing. He shouldn’t come in here and attempt to lay it off on somebody else.”

Mr Shelly has refuted allegations by the suspended sergeant that he told him to use strident and aggressive interview techniques to break Katrina Brolly and her sister Roisin McConnell during interviews on December 4, 1996.

“The term wasn’t used to break anybody, he was there to interview the person properly, in accordance with procedure to try and establish the truth if that was possible,” he said.

The tribunal has heard the women were shown graphic pictures of the dead man, lights were flicked and they were told their children would be taken away.

Det Sgt White and Gda John Dooley have admitted to mistreating Ms Brolly and Ms McConnell.

“I did not suggest to Sgt White or anybody else that they should use photographs in the manner as has been alleged. I think it was totally inappropriate to do so. And I also apologise to the ladies concerned that they were used in that manner, it shouldn’t have happened and it got no sanction from me, or prompting from anyone else,” Mr Shelly said.

He said if he had been aware in 1996 of the inappropriate use of the post-mortem photographs he would have taken action.

Under cross-examination by counsel for Sgt White, Mr Shelly said he was not aware of any mood of desperation in Letterkenny Garda Station over the lack of results from the interviews.

He said there was no pressure on anyone to produce results from the interviews, and denied shortcuts were taken in police investigations.

“There are many hundreds or thousands of good detectives, excellent detectives, who produce excellent work in this jurisdiction day in day out, and they don’t have to take shortcuts or to resort to the methods as implied by Det Sgt White. I reject it totally,” Mr Shelly said.

The tribunal will resume on April 24 to hear witnesses over the detention of Mark Quinn, a publican and cousin of Ms Brolly, in Letterkenny Garda Station.