Murder acquittal - Every garda station needs video facility

IF ever there was a compelling argument for accelerating the installation of video facilities at garda stations to record interviews with suspects in cases of serious crime, it was yesterday’s acquittal of two men of the alleged murder of a civil servant.

The facts are disturbing. According to Mr Justice Liam McKechnie, certain alleged statements and written memoranda of garda interviews with the two men, while detained at Blanchardstown and Finglas stations, should be excluded from evidence.

On his direction, the jury at the Central Criminal Court found the men not guilty of murdering Brian Fitzpatrick, who was punched and kicked to death near his home in Finglas in December 1998. Allegedly, he refused to give cigarettes to the defendants, Michael Geoghegan and Richard Bourke, both of Finglas. They were 15 at the time and denied the charge.