Publican asked garda chief help

A Donegal publican made a plea for help to one of the country’s garda chiefs after his family was allegedly harassed and intimidated by officers in the county, it emerged today.

Assistant Commissioner Kevin Carty received a letter from Raphoe nightclub owner Frank McBrearty Senior in October 1998, claiming gardai from the Letterkenny district were targeting his family after being framed as suspects in an unsolved murder case.

Mr McBrearty’s son Frank Junior and nephew Mark McConnell were wrongly arrested over the death of local cattle dealer Richie Barron two years previously.

Around 10 members of the extended family were also detained and quizzed in connection with the case.

The letter was today read out at the Morris Tribunal into garda corruption in Donegal by the inquiry’s senior counsel Tony Barr.

“My wife Rosalind, myself and my extended family have been living a nightmare for the past two years,” Mr McBrearty Snr wrote.

“Please help us.”

The letter set out how certain gardai had harassed the family.

As well as twice being wrongfully arrested over the Barron killing, Mr McConnell was later detained after being framed for threatening a local man gardai had employed to lie for them.

Mr McBrearty Snr also outlined how certain officers had singled out his Raphoe nightclub for excessive liquor licensing law inspections, which led to the businessman being hit with more than 100 District Court summonses over an 18 month period.

Asked by Mr Barr SC how he reacted to the letter, Asst Supt Carty said he investigated the allegations.

The senior officer launched an internal garda inquiry in early 1999 to probe the conduct of certain officers in Donegal.

The tribunal is investigating claims gardai launched a campaign of harassment against the publican, his family, business and staff following the botched Barron death probe.

The killing was later ruled an unsolved hit-and-run and the McBreartys were cleared of any wrongdoing.