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ON 5 JANUARY last year Irishman Paul O’Shea was arrested in London.
Three days earlier he had beaten and stabbed two men to death before attempting to cover up the evidence by setting fire to the flat they had been in.
Five months later in May, Irish plumber Hugh Doyle was among eight men arrested on conspiracy to burgle following a £200 million cash, gold and jewel heist.
These two were the most high-profile arrests against Irish people by London’s Metropolitan Police in 2015.
There were 2,497 others.
While Ireland enjoys a strong relationship with the UK – it’s our most popular tourist destination and almost 20,000 of us emigrated there last year – it comes with a darker side, as thousands of Irish citizens are arrested each year in the UK’s capital city.
Figures released exclusively to TheJournal.ie under the Freedom of Information Act reveal how many Irish people were detained for crimes ranging from petty theft to murder.
What do the stats tell us?
The stats show the overall number of arrests. So if a person is arrested, released and then detained again for the same crime, it counts as two arrests.
The figures break down like this: 2,499 total arrests were made in 2015, working out as seven a day or an arrest on an Irish person every four hours.
Last year in London, a total of 733,383 crimes were committed in the 12 months to the end of December.
Taking these figures together, Irish citizens were arrested in connection with 0.34% of crimes committed in London last year.
What crimes were we arrested for the most?
A large proportion of the arrests of Irish people were made in connection with assaults.
The total number came to 623, made up of the following categories:
Top ten crimes
Looking at the top 10 offences that Irish people were arrested on suspicion of last year, four of the assault categories were featured.
The list being rounded out by theft from a shop; offences related to being wanted on a warrant; drunk and disorderly behaviour; public order offences; burglary of dwelling; and criminal damage to a dwelling.
Murder, rape and guns
Besides the areas that traditionally see high levels of crime, a smaller (but still substantial) number of suspected Irish offenders were arrested for more serious offences.
There were five arrests for firearms offences, two arrests for murder (although 26 for the threat of murder), and 19 for rape, with one for an attempted rape.
There were also more than 50 arrests for intent to supply Class A drugs.
Are we really that bad?
High as these figures might seem, it is hard to infer any meaning without some context.
To give us a better idea, we can compare Irish citizens being arrested in connection with 0.34% total crimes in the city last year with the Irish population in the city.
Irish people in the Greater London area (which accounts for around three fifths of the Met Police’s jurisdiction when measured by population) make up 2.2% of the total population, meaning that by nationality, we’re arrested in connection with less than our fair share of crimes.
Even for violence against the person, an area of crime that the Irish in London would seem to be more prolific in, we still ‘underperformed’ in relation to the overall amount of crime committed.
The Met Police consider violence against the person as:
Irish people were arrested for these crimes a total of 434 times, only 0.2% of the total of 220,228 of crimes committed against the person in London in 2015.
What happens after they’re arrested?
Irish citizens in London have gone on to face various fates after their arrests. A large number - 743 - were released without any further action being taken.
1,059 of the arrested were either held in custody or bailed prior to court appearances. A further 125 were held on a warrant prior to appearing in court.
209 were let off with cautions, 24 committed crimes serious enough to result in them being brought directly to prison and one solitary individual managed to escape from police custody.
Those who find themselves on the wrong side of the law while in London should know that they’re not on their own.
In response to the figures featured in this article, the Department of Foreign Affairs told TheJournal.ie:
“Our staff offer non-judgemental advice and practical help to Irish citizens who have been detained, without regard to the nature of the alleged offence, whether they are innocent or guilty, on remand or already sentenced by a court of law.”
More details on the consular assistance on offer to Irish citizens can be found here.
- Graphs by Dan MacGuill @danmacg
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He can run if he wants but he wont get elected as everybody knows he is probably the most arrogant prat in the Dail, and that takes some doing.
M.E.P.s are immune from prosecution in their own States !
He would get elected comfortably and yes he is an arrogant prat but why why wouldn’t FG send Eamon Coughlan who is more likeable guy, is very capable and doesn’t leave a by-election.
That might all be true but if your having to sit beside Hayes every day in the Dáil canteen sending him off to Europe might be a great option.
Does Enda just want to ship him out for a while and then have a ultra conservative on the front bench once he looses the next election. Perhaps they just want to signal this so they can get the funding in. Ah yes, democracy where corporate political funding means that everyone’s voice is equally respected.
I hope this arranant politican doesn’t stop running after Europe – I would be delighted if he had Afganistan in his sights.
Off you go brian, the European parliament needs more teachers.
ex-teachers ; he’s a politician ……….
He’s a trained teacher. He has no qualifications for the job of TD, NONE!!
agreed ciaran, but he is not a teacher he is currently employed by the state as a politician ; if he was a teacher he would be in a classroom ;
How many politicians have a qualification for the job of lick-hole to Angela ; Brian Cowen had a degree in politics would you suggest we bring back Brian Cowen because he is qualified .
Politics is about legislating within the legal constraints of the constitution ; it is also about honesty as the principle of honesty is the very foundation of law ; no honesty, no adherence to the constitution , no honesty then no right to collect taxes ;
Honesty Ciaran ; he is not a teacher he is apolitician who qualified as a teacher went into the classroom and realised how gullible and trusting the irish people are by getting an insight into their thinking through reading their kids ; black cat, black mkitten ; that is why there are so many teachers inpolitics ; they realise how dtupid people really are ! its dispicable but that is the truth , a teacher who enters politics is an arrogant son of a b. the teachers who stay in the classroom are not …….
That’s what there all looking for a nice cushy job in Europe.
Sellouts.
correct leonard and he will not only get a dail pension but if elected he will get a mep pension not bad
I really dont care how much it costs once he clears off over to Brussels. They can have him, we’ll ever tie a bow around his head to make him look nice! !
So Enda as commissioner and Hayes as MEP. Perfect. Pity the canon fodder in my constituency will vote for him.
Who really gives a fcuk? Jumping from one gravy train to another.
Run off somewhere
Smug Pr1ck!
I don’t really care if he runs or not but while your campaigning for an election I don’t believe he should receive his Dail salary.
Similarly I didn’t think Micheal D and Norris should have been paid during the presidential campaign
I don’t think that will bother him, he is still accruing a teachers pension even though he only did a handful of years in the job.
Ah, sure that’s old hat now Brendan hasn’t Enda Kenny been doing the same for the best part of forty years.
Din’t they do away with the double pension thing?
They did, for new TDs. So Hayes and Kenny are safe. Similar to the changes in SW I guess, only applicable for new entrants. It is a particularly bad state of affairs with Mr. Kenny considering he’s been a TD since 1975 so he was 24 when elected. Basically he taught for a year or so at best and can claim a pension.. And then there’s Europe to look forward to after he jumps ship. The gravy train really does roll for some people I suppose.
…….and what about your beloved SF TD’s are their professions all as questionable as Doherty’s ? Will they renounce their pension rights? Do they not claim expenses & nick ink cartridges ? SF double speak again!
No they just put more tax on our Health Insurance,they should all go
Brian Hayes Fine Gael spokesman for everything. . . . You can’t turn on the news on the TV or radio without hearing him or seeing him. . . . . Seems to have taken over from Leo
No decision here Brian you will not be re elected so start putting plans in place to collect MEP pension to subsidise your dail and senate pensions….oh ..and have you reminded us today that austerity works.
When the ship is sinking the rats will leave it. Hayes is more of a weasel, how many of the labour rats will leave before the next election.
A lot of Labour’s back-benchers and County Councillors, as well as FG’s, have already taken that leap of fate, over the side of the proverbial ship.
He’ll have to grow a brain cell & a back bone first!!
Run rabbit quick quick the voters will hit you with there big big stick
Arrogant pr1ck
The man can’t see straight.. He can’t look anyone straight in the eye..
Yes Brian, please do go….
Please nobody vote for any of these party political hacks.. Send him back to the classroom.. Let him do a real job for a while and then see how much austerity works.. Please, everyone on this site, promote voting for anyone that isn’t in a political party for anything.. And anyone that just jumped ship to save their own skins.. A new political set up is needed and all these hacks need to be voted out.. Everyone get out and vote these hacks out..
I’d say the Electorate will make his mind up for him, smart boy headin for the hills.
He should make a run for Europe alright…and stay there. Horrible creep.
snake
Harsh but fair. Not on him but snakes.
He does f all for gis constituency in Tallaght
He’ll be a good riddance out of Tallaght.
I think he’s gunner eyed too !!
Useless muppet
No Brian but many of us have! No will be your answer! Looking for a nice featherbed before being kicked out at the next election along with other rats deserting no doubt on time!!
This guy really is a nasty pill.
Brian Hayes, everything politicians should not be. Good bye and make sure you pay your property tax before you go. Spanner
So we the Irish people could be sending two lions to Europe 1st one being inda the Cowardly lion(wizard of oz) and the 2nd one hayes as clarence the lion.
Just keep on running…….. as far away as possible!
He almost looks as slippery as Noonan.
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