Friend: Rossiter got ‘a few slaps’ from gardaí

A FRIEND of Brian Rossiter yesterday told an inquest into the 14-year- old’s death that he was hit “a few slaps” by more than one garda after being arrested on the night of September 10, 2002.

Daniel Leahy, who was also 14 at the time, said he couldn’t remember a lot about the night, but remembered getting hit in the Clonmel Garda station and was able to name one of the gardaí involved.

He also claimed in a deposition, made a month ago, that gardaí tried to “coerce” him into saying that Brian Rossiter had taken ecstasy tablets on the night of the arrest.