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THE MINISTER FOR Justice has published a report given to her by the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (GSOC) into the Garda practice, policy and procedure in relation to dealing with people who are remanded in custody by a court.
The report comes in the wake of the case of Celyn Eadon.
On 16 February 2011, Celyn Eadon was remanded in custody at Castlebar District Court but, despite the order, he walked out of the courtroom.
About three weeks after his release, he was charged with killing his mother Noreen Kelly-Eadon at her home in Derrynacrieve, Islandeady, near Castlebar.
The 46-year-old had died from multiple stab wounds.
Last year, a report by Judge Michael Reilly found that “proper procedure” had been followed at the court.
The GSOC report makes a series of seven recommendations to strengthen the capacity of the gardaí to operate remands in custody and to put in place improved liaison arrangements with the Irish Prison Service and the Courts Service.
The GSOC report indicates that the release of Eadon occurred due to a number of deficiencies on the part of the Garda Síochána. It also states that the Garda role and responsibilities “cannot be viewed in isolation”.
Frances Fitzgerald said that there was a “serious breakdown”.
“I very much regret the tragic situation that has occurred. Obviously, the main issue at this stage is to ensure that such a serious breakdown at operational level should not happen again.”
The report recommends a formal relationship for escorting prisoners and that all warrants are entered into the Pulse system as soon as possible.
The Timeline of the Eadon case
Prior to 16 Febuary 2011: Eadon was before the District Court numerous times for traffic offences.
19 January 2011: Eadon failed to appear in court and a warrant for his arrest was issued.
2 February 2011: The Bench Warrant was executed and Eadon was brought to Castlebar District Court. He was remanded in custody to Harristown District Court on 4 February 2011. He was not granted bail.
4 February 2011: Eadon was remanded in custody to Castlebar District Court on 16 February with consent to bail on a number of terms, including a bond of €300, an independent surety of €600 to be approved by court, a curfew, strict sign-ins, to be resident with his mother and to stay off drugs and alcohol.
He was unable to take up bail so he remained in custody to Castlerea Prison.
16 February 2011: Eadon was further charged on Charge Sheet No 11298126 with theft. On this charge, he was remanded on his own bail of €50 to appear at Achill District Court on 10 March 2011. He signed the bail form.
But, on the other charges, he was remanded in custody on the seven sets of summonses referred to above from 19 January.
Despite the court order that he was remanded in custody – and the prepared warrants that were given to the gardaí, he walked out of the District Court.
9 March 2011: Noreen Kelly-Eadon was found dead in her home.
11 March 2011: Celyn Eadon, then 19, was charged with the murder.
February 2014: Eadon was convicted of the murder.
With reporting by Sinéad O’Carroll
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An absolute disgrace. A complete shambles of a justice system had a part to play in this poor womans death. Every day there are moronic sentences and decisions made throughout the justice/prison service that lead to serious incidents with very little accountability
I’m sorry to say that there is no justice system in Ireland, only a legal system. This is down to the fact that there is very little money to be made administering justice. However, law is a different kettle of fish altogether. Before you consider me as cynical, go to any court on any day and see how they work. Person, no previous, simple charge, judge will nail them.Dirtbirds with previous, solicitors assigned to them will drag out the cases for as long as possible, fee claimed every time. Absolute disgrace what goes on in the name of justice. Victims,,what about them.No justice only law.
So, literally, some has to be killed before something is done?
The whole thing is a mess but what stood out for me was the 3 years it took to get a conviction despite hil being charged straight away
this is bonkers. if he should have been remanded in custody how exactly was he allowed walk oh the door???? this is ‘ life of Brian ‘ stuff.
Two courts of equal standing make orders as to his liberty; one remands him to custody, one grants him bail. Which court is to be obeyed? And bare in mind that the court which has granted him bail is the one he’s last in front of, and that gardaí are obliged to follow a direction from a judge.
I’m really at a loss here. We have a system where until a few days ago, the gardai couldn’t arrest people driving without a licence, a man walks free after being found guilty of running brothels, which surely breaks multiple laws. A guy with mental health issues gets prison for stealing a pair of knickers and now this.
It seems we don’t have a justice system. It all depends on the whim of the judge
Ann Marie just one thing you mentioned there. The guy with the knickers. He just didn’t steal a pair of knickers. He forced his way into the women’s apartment threatened her and demanded some of her underwater. He also had previous convictions for sexual assault. So sending him to prison was in fact the right thing.
also junkies run wild around town and cops do nothing
The justice system simple cannot foresee circumstances like this and if they were to hold every person who showed the same signs as this guy our prisons would have ten times as many people in them. human nature dictates the wildly eratic behaviour of people like this and it will happen. For one if gsoc saw no fault then I am happy enough with that. It is a tragic none the less but you can’t blame the justice system for the actions of every lunatic
Did you read a different article to me?
“The GSOC report makes a series of seven recommendations to strengthen the capacity of the gardaí to operate remands in custody and to put in place improved liaison arrangements with the Irish Prison Service and the Courts Service.
The GSOC report indicates that the release of Eadon occurred due to a number of deficiencies on the part of the Garda Síochána. It also states that the Garda role and responsibilities “cannot be viewed in isolation”.”
Proinsios. The “Deficiencies” GSOC were referring to are Procedural. And that comes to to the Dept of Justice’s door. No Gardai on the day were at fault.
No sorry proinias I was reading the article about eggs * rolls eyes *. At no stage were the guards found to be at fault. recommendations were made to improve lines of communication to prevent this happening in the future. I’m not exactly sure what point you are trying to make other than showing your ability to copy and paste
In late Sept 2011 Martin Purcell was murdered in his flat in Wickham St. Limerick.His killer,Gerard Manning was released on bail just weeks earlier.Manning was arrested by armed Gardai that month following a high speed car chase and crash in a crowded William St.Manning had stolen alcohol,was drunk and had accumulated 100 convictions.
Those are the current bail laws. If you want to change them we are going to need to build bigger Prisons and hire more Officers to man them because as it stands most of our current Prisons are at capacity and severely under staffed.
What deficiencies?
If you knew the system you would know Gardai only ask for someone to be remanded in jail, which the Gardai did.
The court makes the decision and issues the warrant and the prison service take the person into custody and transport to jail, the failure was not the Gardai but GSOC can never ever admit that so they make weak non specified allegations and recmonndations that Gardai become involved in areas that are not their concern.
What part of “Last year, a report by Judge Michael Reilly found that “proper procedure” had been followed at the court.” do you not understand? A Judge who knows the system far better than a Journalist in GSOC stated Gardai not nothing wrong.
Karl. The Prison service only take charge of a remand if they are already under sentence. Because a remand is still innocent of the charge, the Gardai are still responsible for their transportto and from court.
We have a lousy justice system because of the way it is politicised.
FF and FG Governments both appoint “their” judges and top police officers. We should have an independent appointments board to put an end to this.
Our cossetted judges live in ivory towers surrounded by security, they never get to experience what real people have to put up with. I remember, some years back, a female judge who was consistently lenient in sentencing, was mugged crossing Church St. bridge and had her handbag stolen. Overnight there was a Pauline conversion and thugs dreaded being brought before her. It’s amazing what a visit to the real world can achieve.
@Martin Hayes,
Who was she? I looked it up on Google and couldn’t find anything about her.
The main problem with the justice system are legal aid cases which are dragged out over years as solicitors get paid for every court appearance request for statements, bail, etc. This clogs up the system and gives gardai more work gathering info and appearing in court. should they not be trying to have less gardai in the court and more on the streets like they continue to promise us. You should get 10 legal aid chances max none of this 100 convictions krap and still appearing in court every week wasting gardai and judges time. The solicitors/barristers are on the most comfortable gravy train in the justice system. A murder to a solicitor only means cha – ching!
We need TV’s that spy
We need laws against thought crime
We need to chip criminals
Our justice system needs a revamp.
Frances Fitzgerald as minister for children has put the welfare of children back 50 years and now as minister for justice she is slowly dismantling our police force and justice system. All the current minsters are all starving their departments of funding to pay the bankers bailout.
Springfield police .
Frances Fitzgerald said there was a serious breakdown did Frances Fitzgerald make any one accountable a woman’s died
have your say