EVIL IRISH POLICE

I gave details of this case -- including police fabrication of evidence -- on July 13, 2005

The way in which Donegal publican Frank Shortt was treated by some members of the Garda Síochana [police] has led Minister for Justice Michael McDowell to state that there was now "no alternative but for the Government to pursue its radical reform of the force". The Minister's comments were made following a decision by the Supreme Court to increase damages paid to Mr Shortt from 1.9 million to 4.7 million euros for the miscarriage of justice he suffered.

In 1992 Mr Shortt was wrongly convicted of allowing the sale of drugs in his Quigley's Point night-club and served 27 months in prison. And ten years later following a Court of Criminal Appeal decision certifying he had been a victim of a miscarriage of justice he was awarded compensation of ¤1.9 million for his wrongful conviction and jailing.

POOR HEALTH

Mr Shortt (72) is currently in poor health and was represented in Court by his daughter Zabrina and son Jalisco who welcomed the judgement "unreservedly". Speaking after Wednesday's Supreme Court decision, his solicitor, Kathryn Ward stated the Court's award "exceeded our wildest expectations". She added that Mr Shortt now felt "fully vindicated".

In making his judgement, the Chief Justice, Mr Justice John Murray described the affair as "a stain of the darkest dye on the otherwise generally fine tradition of the Garda". He also criticised the "especially grave" abuse of Mr Shortt by Supt Kevin Lennon and Det Garda Noel McMahon. He added that the consequence for Mr Shortt was "a tormenting saga of imprisonment, mental and physical deterioration, estrangement from family, loss of business, public and professional ignominy and despair".

UNPRECEDENTED

Mr Shortt's award includes an unprecedented 1 million in punitive damages to mark the Court's abhorrence of the "outrageous conduct" by gardai towards him. The judge stressed it was intended as a warning that such a serious abuse of power by the State would not be tolerated. In his judgement, Mr Justice Adrian Hardiman stated that what happened to Mr Shortt was "so outrageous as almost to defy description but the Garda force has yet to admit this".

His solicitor concluded: "In all the years nobody stood up and apologised to Frank Shortt. It was a very grudging apology that was dragged out of them (The State) in the Supreme Court last year." Mr Shortt, she added, was now aged 72 and while "in indifferent health" was "as well as could be expected".

Report here



(And don't forget your ration of Wicked Thoughts for today)