Tánaiste: 68 Defence Forces members convicted or currently charged with criminal offences

Tánaiste: 68 Defence Forces members convicted or currently charged with criminal offences

THE TÁNAISTE HAS said that there are 68 members of the Defence Forces who have been convicted or currently before the courts on a range of criminal offences.

A spokesperson for Micheál Martin, who is Minister for Defence said tonight that the offences include public order, drink driving, drugs offences, physical assault and sexual offences.

The details were revealed after the Tánaiste reviewed an audit carried out by the military in the wake of revelations around assaults by two members of Oglaigh na hÉireann.

“Following the Natasha O’Brien case, the Tánaiste was informed last Friday of another case involving a Naval Service member who is still serving after being convicted of assault causing harm last November.

“In light of this, he requested a report from the Chief of Staff to find out how many serving members of the Defence Forces have civil convictions, or are before the civil courts on serious criminal offences.

“Last night, the Tánaiste was informed of 68 Defence Forces personnel who have been convicted, or are currently before the civil courts, on a range of criminal offences including public order, drink driving, drugs offences, physical assault and sexual offences,” the spokesperson said.

The Tánaiste’s spokesperson also said that he received a report on the case of Naval Petty Officer David O’Gorman who was convicted but received a suspended sentence for beating his former girlfriend.

“The Tánaiste has now asked officials to provide a concise report based on the information received. He has sought legal advice from the Attorney General on how this information can be published in an appropriate and legally sound way,” the spokesperson concluded.

The Journal revealed this week that an audit of cases was started by the Defence Forces earlier this week to determine how many serving members of the military were before the courts or had been convicted but were still serving.

The case of Cathal Crotty saw the 22 year old Private who is based at Sarsfield Barracks in Limerick receive a suspended sentence for the unprovoked attack on Natasha O’Brien on the city’s O’Connell Street.

A Defence Forces officer was in court monitoring proceedings and also gave evidence when asked about the conduct of Crotty while serving. When asked to comment on the evidence of the attack, the superior said it was, in his opinion, “very out of character” for Crotty.

Another case is that of non-commissioned Petty Officer David O’Gorman, 37, of Drumgoole, Castlecomer, Co Kilkenny who has been before the courts on assault charges relating to an incident where he attacked his former girlfriend.

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill, Minister of State for the Defence Forces, said that there are now more questions to be answered about the nature of the charges and convictions, as well as the ranks of those involved.

“I would expect the Defence Forces to be able to provide timely, accurate and complete information to the government on this crucial subject,” she said, “especially one year on since the very serious outcomes of the judge led tribunal.”

She said information about the nature of the offences and the ranks of those accused and convicted “should be immediately and accurately available to the senior management of the defence forces and therefore to the government”.

“If it is not, if any part of that is absent, then that is a matter of very significant concern in itself.”

With reporting from Jane Matthews in Brussels