Rossiter ‘out of control’ when brought to station

BRIAN ROSSITER was “out of control,” abusive and behaving violently when brought to the Garda station the night before he fell into a coma in his cell.

The inquest into his death was also told that the 14-year-old boy’s father arrived at the station later in the night and declined an invitation to see his son, and also declined to bring him home.

The member-in-charge of Clonmel Garda Station said that when Garda Jennings brought Brian Rossiter in after arresting him on suspicion of a public order offence, the teenager was “out of control” on arrival. “He was using abusive language and was very violent in his behaviour,” said Garda Anne-Marie Coogan. “He was striking out, trying to free himself.”

She said that, as his two friends also arrived at the station around the same time, she said Brian should be brought straight to cell number three.

“Brian Rossiter was shouting and roaring at me, very uncooperative, and told me to f**k off and that I was a f**king pig and the same as the rest of them,” she said.

Garda Coogan was relieved of her duties at 10pm but came back on the next morning and was present when Garda Flynn tried to rouse Brian Rossiter in his cell. As far as she could see, Brian “appeared to be snoring”. He didn’t wake up.

She was subsequently in the public office when she heard Sergeant Heffernan shouting from the cell area, “get a doctor, get an ambulance”. She remembered the sergeant being “quite shocked” said told the inquest yesterday.

Garda Elaine Corkery said she was on patrol car duty that night and was due to go off duty at 6am.

At about 5.45am she was in the station and heard a voice from cell three shouting: “you’re a f**king bitch, you’re a bitch”. She knew that Brian Rossiter was in cell three. Asked by coroner Dr Myra Cullinane — who described this evidence as “crucial” — if she was sure about where the voice came from, and who was in the cell, Garda Corkery said she was.

Garda Gerry Canty, who took over as member in charge in the station at 10pm from Garda Coogan, said that he checked Brian Rossiter at regular intervals, and the last check was at 5.30am when Brian was asleep. At 5.45, “I didn’t hear anything”.

Pat Rossiter arrived at the station at 11pm the night before, he said, and made a written statement in which he declined to take custody of Brian.

Garda Canty said he also had a recollection “of asking Mr Rossiter if he wished to see his son, and he declined to do so.”

The inquest has completed its third day and was adjourned yesterday until December 1. It is expected to take another five days to complete.