FBI identifies man who had passports in names of babies who died in the 50s

Interpol are also investigating the man who is being held in Cork Prison

The man referred to as “Mr Morris" has been in custody since his arrest at the passport office on South Mall, Cork, on September 14.
File picture: Denis Minihane

Mystery surrounding the identity of a man in custody for several weeks who allegedly applied for passports in the names of babies who died in the 1950s may have been solved, a detective revealed today.

“We believe we now have a positive identification for this gentleman from an FBI arrest record in 1970. It only came to us at the end of last week,” Detective Garda Padraic Hanley of the Garda National Bureau of Criminal Investigation said on Tuesday.

He told Judge Joanne Carroll at Cork District Court that in relation to this positive identification, “we are dealing with fingerprints”. While the international investigations appear to have produced a name for the accused man, this name was not disclosed in court. 

The defendant’s solicitor, Frank Buttimer, continued to refer to his client as “Mr Morris”. The defendant is before the court in the name of Philip Frank Morris.

In relation to the latest developments, Mr Buttimer said: “He is aware of the situation up to this morning. Mr Morris agrees to a remand in custody for a further two-week period.” He has been in custody since his arrest at the passport office on South Mall, Cork, on September 14.

Judge Carroll adjourned the case to November 7. The judge asked: “Has this man’s level of co-operation increased?” Det. Garda Hanley replied: “It is not an issue with his level of co-operation. He has taken a particular stance.” 

The detective added: “I have a meeting today in Cork Prison with him at 2pm.” The 70-year-old man was previously described as speaking with an American accent and it is alleged that he had passports in the names of two babies who died within three months of birth in 1952 and 1953.

Detective Garda Hanley previously said the investigation into the man’s identity was going on through Interpol — the international police network which has 195 member countries. 

“Fingerprints are still being examined in different jurisdictions. In Ireland we have enquiries through the Residential Tenancy Board, the ESB, VHI. Enquiries are ongoing internationally in relation to fingerprints still. A number of addresses in this jurisdiction that may or may not be linked to this gentleman (are being examined),” Det. Garda Hanley said on October 10.

One charge states that on September 11 this year at the passport office on South Mall, Cork, he provided information or documents which were false or misleading, in connection with a passport application. There are two similar charges referring to an unknown date between September 12 and 25, 2012, at the Passport Office on South Mall, Cork, and the application for the issue of a passport, and one final, similar charge referring to a different date, June 7 2022.