Gardai get Curtin again!! Drink Driving

Villain · 10-05-2004 9:09am #1

Well is it a case of coincidence or did the Gardai decide to get the Judge again after the scenario with his Child Porn case being thrown out due to the out of date warrant.

If the Urine sample comes back and shows him to be over limit, he may be suspended until the case is heard. If he is found Guilty surely he must go.

The Indo has the full story here:
http://www.unison.ie/irish_independent/stories.php3?ca=9&si=1178646&issue_id=10848 (requires registration)

Interesting paragraph at the end which states:

Meanwhile, the American detective who discovered Judge Brian Curtin's credit card number on a child porn website has revealed he is prepared to testify at any inquiry or impeachment hearing into his conduct.

Texas police officer Steve Nelson also told a newspaper that apart from the credit card number, he also found substantial supporting evidence linking the judge to the website including his home address, email address and details of his computer's internet service provider.

Sleipnir · 10-05-2004 9:19am

Yes I can only imagine they knew that his drunk-driving was a regular occurance and decided to get him after the paedophilia case fell through.

vorbis · 10-05-2004 9:22am

maybe I haven't heard it but why isn't there more convincing evidence against him re the child porn case. All that seems to be there is that he bought a months subscription for the site at a time that it was also selling child porn. Are there records of what if anything he downloaded? Presumably theres more evidence there than this.

The drink driving case is interesting. Will be interesting to see what the results are though. Judges have stayed on after having been convicted before though.

Sleipnir · 10-05-2004 9:36am

maybe I haven't heard it but why isn't there more convincing evidence against him re the child porn case. All that seems to be there is that he bought a months subscription for the site at a time that it was also selling child porn. Are there records of what if anything he downloaded? Presumably theres more evidence there than this.

Er, there was also kiddie porn found saved to his hard drive.

Meh · 10-05-2004 9:45am

Originally posted by Sleipnir
Er, there was also kiddie porn found saved to his hard drive.

Yeah, but that was obtained by an out-of-date warrant, so it can't be used in any legal proceedings against him (including impeachment).

ixoy · 10-05-2004 10:14am

Originally posted by Sleipnir
Er, there was also kiddie porn found saved to his hard drive.

Was there though? I thought the contents of the PC weren't examined or, if they were, they weren't disclosed.
Given the way Judge Curtains has gone through the media wrangler, it's not too surprising he's been drinking heavily...

pork99 · 10-05-2004 10:25am

Originally posted by Sleipnir
Yes I can only imagine they knew that his drunk-driving was a regular occurance and decided to get him after the paedophilia case fell through.

Or maybe the arrogant c*nt thought he could get away with anything?

ambasite · 10-05-2004 10:45am

Originally posted by Sleipnir
Yes I can only imagine they knew that his drunk-driving was a regular occurance and decided to get him after the paedophilia case fell through.

according to rte radio this morning a total of six gardai were involved in the 'operation' - two detectives and four uniformed. seems like a sting operation / setup. can we assume that the minister for justice knew that mr. curtin would not resign his position as judge, so organised what happend in tralee last night? what a lovely little democracy.

spongebob · 10-05-2004 10:52am

6 Plod And a cyclist, they had to get the 'erratic driving bring him to the notice of the Gardai ' event staged properly brfore they could pull him.

The cyclist was a casus belli <cough> . I am sure that with 6 Gardai present they got the cyclists name and other details and that the cyclist made a full statement last night. Naturally it was on video.

M

leeroybrown · 10-05-2004 11:05am

can we assume that the minister for justice knew that mr. curtin would not resign his position as judge, so organised what happend in tralee last night?

Nah. The Gardai wouldn't do that kind of stuff for the Minister if he got down on his knees and begged. In any event McDowell doesn't seem like the kind to go after him this way.

On the other hand it's a given that the Gardai have the knowledge and resources to apprehend known drink drivers if they put enough resources into doing it. It's just the case that they wouldn't normally mount specific directed operations. I would guess that that the local plod saw an easy and legal way to have a little bite back.

leonotron · 10-05-2004 11:27am

So they knew all along he was drink driving and now they decide to stop him, nice setup

dod · 10-05-2004 11:37am

If gross stupidity were a crime, they'd throw the book at him. I mean, after all that has happened, and he drives a car after drinking too much? FFS, he's supposed to be an intelligent man. He knew he was on the radar. I mean the offspring of generations of inbreeding would know to keep their head's down under the prevailing circumstances.

I have absolutely no sympathy, however staged/ contrived/ etc. anybody might suggest it was.

Gurgle · 10-05-2004 11:54am

He's been a judge for 2 years.
He's probably been drinking & driving whenever he felt like it for 2 years.
He pissed some guards off by making them look stupid over a child porn case.

Duh!

star gazer · 10-05-2004 12:41pm

It really does beggar belief if it turns out to be drunk driving that the guy was so naive to think he could get away with it. It certainly narrows down his options with regard to his job. It will be hard for him to get any pay off now, even though the Taoiseach does appear to have ruled that out anyway.

Tommy Vercetti · 11-05-2004 8:19am

Originally posted by dod
If gross stupidity were a crime, they'd throw the book at him. I mean, after all that has happened, and he drives a car after drinking too much? FFS, he's supposed to be an intelligent man. He knew he was on the radar. I mean the offspring of generations of inbreeding would know to keep their head's down under the prevailing circumstances.

I have absolutely no sympathy, however staged/ contrived/ etc. anybody might suggest it was.

Actually I'd be more inclined to throw the book at the Gardai for
1. Managing to screw up what should have been a straightforward kiddie-porn prosecution
2. If they are turning a blind eye to drink-driving by members of the judiciary in the first place

Gurgle · 11-05-2004 9:04am

1. Managing to screw up what should have been a straightforward kiddie-porn prosecution

Unless you have a big collection saved in a folder marked 'kiddy porn', then a smart lawyer with a well paid IT 'consultant' is going to cast 'reasonable' doubt on whether it was deliberately downloaded. SFA the cops can do about it.

2. If they are turning a blind eye to drink-driving by members of the judiciary in the first place

I couldn't agree more. I have heard many tales of our local judge and he is just way above the law. Gardai have some answering to do.

Villain · 11-05-2004 9:09am

Originally posted by Gurgle
I couldn't agree more. I have heard many tales of our local judge and he is just way above the law. Gardai have some answering to do.

Just a little side note.

The bar I used to work in was done for late drinking for the first time in history a a month ago, there was 20 people drinking on the premisies after 2am on a friday night.

The Following friday night the Gardai held a party in the same pub for a Seargant that was leaving, the Gardai were drinking on the premisies until after 4 am.

One law for us and ..... :rolleyes:

Gardai get Curtin again!! Drink Driving

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