Gardaí drinking seized alcohol 'common practice'

jonsnow

Interesting article in yesterdays Irish Times.I wonder who this young garda annoyed so much that hes on the mattress for "destroying" seized alcohol.Looks like one of the perks of the job is being withdrawn?

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2012/0707/1224319600461.html


A FORMER garda at Bray station has claimed it is common practice for members of the force to consume alcoholic drink seized by the Garda. The claim was made by James Murphy in statements prepared for Det Insp Frank Keeneghan, who was appointed to carry out an investigation into allegations against the former garda.

Mr Murphy, of Duncormack, New Ross, is before Wicklow Circuit Court sitting in Bray accused of dishonestly appropriating for himself two slabs of Bulmers cider which had been stolen by two youths from a Centra shop in Dargle Road, Bray, in June 2009. He has pleaded not guilty to the charge.

In his statements, Mr Murphy said no official complaint about the stolen cider had been made within six months and taking a case had become statute barred. He had attempted several times to contact Tania Williams from the Centra shop but she had never got back to him.

Mr Murphy’s statements said the cider was taken to a house party and consumed. It was destroyed in that manner. That was a common practice. He did not consume any of it himself.

Det Insp Keeneghan said a case of theft never became statute barred, even if a complaint was not made within six months. The theft from Centra never became statute barred. He got Ms Williams’s phone number from Mr Murphy’s locker and had no problem in contacting her.

Det Insp Keeneghan said the claim in Mr Murphy’s statement that it was common practice that drink was consumed was untrue. It never happened. The Garda code of conduct never made any mention of that. Mr Murphy was simply incorrect in what he said.

Insp Michael Walsh said he met Mr Murphy on February 8th, 2010. Mr Murphy told him he had seized the drink. Asked if it was in the property store, he said it was not. Asked where it was, he replied: “It is gone.”

Asked in cross-examination if he had told Mr Murphy to bury the file and never bring it up again, Insp Walsh said that conversation never took place.

Insp Walsh, who was asked to prepare a report for the Garda Commissioner, agreed there was a certain amount of difficulty in relation to Mr Murphy – a probation garda at the time – his suitability for the Garda and whether he would be appointed. He said Mr Murphy had received a citation for jumping into a river in Cork.

Garda Philip Sheridan was asked by defence counsel if he had made a suggestion in Bray Garda station about having a “little competition to see who would seize the most beer for a barbecue being held in the station”.

“Certainly not, absolutely not,” Garda Sheridan replied.

The trial continues.

Lumbo

I heard that if you're a Public Servant and the off license is closed you can go to the Garda and they'll give you as much Dutch Gold as your arms can (no pun intended) carry.

Kiera

What is meant to happen to all the drink the guards confiscate?

MugMugs

Well they're required to "dispose of evidence" are they not?

Waste not, want not

mattjack

Kiera wrote: »

What is meant to happen to all the drink the guards confiscate?

'hic' .. dunno.

Rabies

Kiera wrote: »

What is meant to happen to all the drink the guards confiscate?

Exactly. If it was thrown out people would still complain. At least its getting used.

Tombi!

That wasn't taken of people in the gardens though.
It was stolen slabs.

So basically "we take the stolen goods and drink it".

And I love how he couldn't contact her.

Guess the poor fecker couldn't get anyone to give him a lift

paddyandy

I doubt most Guards would touch Dutch Gold or Huzzar paint remover .

minidazzler

I'd hate to see the drink go to waste, let them have it.

Though there is little as annoying as a drunk Garda.

Pedant

Think about all those poor people in Africa looking for a drink and here's Gardaí shamefully throwing perfectly good alcohol away. It's a disgrace, Joe.

mikemac1

Ex-garda who is now gone from the force and has two inspectors angry with him

That man sure knows how to make enemies!

Intensive Care Bear

You should see what some of them do with drugs. Im sure i will be called a liar but i have smoked weed (among other things) that made its way back out of a garda station.

Sunnyisland

jon snow wrote: »

Interesting article in yesterdays Irish Times.I wonder who this young garda annoyed so much that hes on the mattress for "destroying" seized alcohol.Looks like one of the perks of the job is being withdrawn?

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2012/0707/1224319600461.html


A FORMER garda at Bray station has claimed it is common practice for members of the force to consume alcoholic drink seized by the Garda. The claim was made by James Murphy in statements prepared for Det Insp Frank Keeneghan, who was appointed to carry out an investigation into allegations against the former garda.

Mr Murphy’s statements said the cider was taken to a house party and consumed. It was destroyed in that manner. That was a common practice. He did not consume any of it himself.

:D Wonder what they do with all the weed/hash they confiscate

Irish_wolf

Surely though the shop would have either been reimbursed for the cans or would have received some sort of compensation from the insurance company. Not like the guards could have legally just given the shop the cans back so they could sell them.

So it's either going to rot in storage or evidence, get thrown out, or the gardai can drink it for themselves at no extra cost or loss to anyone?

So who cares really except no one loses out except maybe that the off-license loses a couple of customers.

admiralofthefleet

wonder what they do with the drugs the sieze

Tombi!

Irish_wolf wrote: »

Surely though the shop would have either been reimbursed for the cans or would have received some sort of compensation from the insurance company. Not like the guards could have legally just given the shop the cans back so they could sell them.

So it's either going to rot in storage or evidence, get thrown out, or the gardai can drink it for themselves at no extra cost or loss to anyone?

So who cares really except no one loses out except maybe that the off-license loses a couple of customers.

You missed the point where the lazy fecker nice garda couldn't get in contact with the shop.

I believe the official reason is "the motor wouldn't get me there so I could only use a phone"

Rabies

admiralofthefleet wrote: »

wonder what they do with the drugs the sieze

Re sell on the street, then re-acquire.
keep the market price going up

SocSocPol

Kiera wrote: »

What is meant to happen to all the drink the guards confiscate?

In the case of stolen goods they are supposed to return them to the lawful owner.

Nulty

Allowing them to consume the drink introduces the opportunity for corruption. They should not be allowed to drink it.

Rabies

SocSocPol wrote: »

In the case of stolen goods they are supposed to return them to the lawful owner.

They can go get it themselves. Was taken for a reason.

christmas2012

thats crazy a gard endangering his job just so he could have a few slurps of drink..not on

B.A._Baracus

Gardai drinking siezed alcohol?


... is anyone actually shocked by this?
... better question, is there anyone who didnt know this? :pac:

Maldesu

Kiera wrote: »

What is meant to happen to all the drink the guards confiscate?

Think its supposed to be incinerated. I'd rather they drink it than burn it.

cursai

Bull of the highest muckitude this thread is.

hondasam

I love a good party down at the station.

dj jarvis

i was in bray garda station maybe 15 years ago to make a statement about a RTA i witnessed , they kept me waiting for a age , so long, i missed closing time and could not stock up for a party i was DJing at.

said to the garda " nice one - now im dry - any cider for sale ? " he put his finger to his lips to keep me quiet - the Sargent was within earshot, motioned me to follow him , out to the car , popped open the boot of the patrol car.

inside was bags of beer , and said " help yourself " , i did , 2 carrier bags full of beer i took , all carlsberg to boot , and there was PLENTY left in it.

they even gave me a lift to the session - and it was a illegal rave :eek:
funny lot those bray garda !!!

johndoe99

Mr Murphy had received a citation for jumping into a river in Cork.

he must be a strange fellow, going aroung jumping in rivers, something definitely wrong with him.

More concerning to me is that he apparently believes there's a 6 month statute of limitations on theft. Either he believes that or is lying so I'm going to go with him being quite ignorant of the law.

krudler

admiralofthefleet wrote: »

wonder what they do with the drugs the sieze

whack it down to nothing then sell it off bit by bit, didnt you see American Gangster?

leonidas83

cursai wrote: »

Bull of the highest muckitude this thread is.

Why dont u give a point of view instead of just criticising the thread, if dont like it you know where to go.

I think people are beginning to realise more and more in recent months that being a member of the gardai allows you some serious perks.

minidazzler

dj jarvis wrote: »

i was in bray garda station maybe 15 years ago to make a statement about a RTA i witnessed , they kept me waiting for a age , so long, i missed closing time and could not stock up for a party i was DJing at.

said to the garda " nice one - now im dry - any cider for sale ? " he put his finger to his lips to keep me quiet - the Sargent was within earshot, motioned me to follow him , out to the car , popped open the boot of the patrol car.

inside was bags of beer , and said " help yourself " , i did , 2 carrier bags full of beer i took , all carlsberg to boot , and there was PLENTY left in it.

they even gave me a lift to the session - and it was a illegal rave :eek:
funny lot those bray garda !!!

Wait, did he give it free?