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A MAN IN HIS 20s was arrested this morning in Sligo by Gardaí investigating the murder of 67-year-old Eugene Gillespie who was seriously assaulted in his home during an aggravated burglary on 21 September.
Gillespie was found unconscious and lying in the hallway of his home with his hands tied behind his back. He was taken to hospital but died last Saturday night from his injuries.
Gardaí confirmed on Tuesday that they had received a call the night before Gillespie was found, relating to a male who was tied up in a house with a brown gate in Sligo. Acting on information in this call they went to a house with a brown gate in the town where they “satisfied themselves that there was nothing untoward”.
They said they were using the call as part of their investigation and liaising with phone companies in an attempt identify the anonymous caller.
The arrested man is currently detained at Sligo Garda station.
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Well done and if guilty I sincerly hope he gets a full life sentence.
‘Im guessing’ It’s a serial offender with no regard for life or law, feeding a drug habit, regularily terrorising members of the public. watch this space over the next 6 months for a miscarriage of justice that the Gardai nor the law can do nothing about, for now..
I’d say if found guilty, he is looking a 4 to 7 years. out in 3. his defense will claim he was out of his mind on drink and drugs and didn’t know what he was doing. Also, he probably was the one that phoned the gardai which shows he didn’t mean for that man to die. I don’t agree with this way our justice system works, in the US, he’d could possibly be looking at 70 to 100 years in prison.
Don’t forget he has ADHD & plans on hopefully (but unlikely) re-sitting his Junior Cert next year!!
You cant mitigate a plea on the grounds of alcohol or drugs abuse no defence barrister can offer that plea and have a judges ear
@Celly I don’t know what country your talking about but it ain’t this one. nearly every case I read about the standard sentence, say 5 years, is reduced due to the fact the perp was a drug addict or drunk. not long ago a guy convicted of breaking into a house in Ennis, raping a woman while her kids slept next door, was freed with a suspended 3 year prison sentence mainly because he was high as a kite and ‘didn’t know what he was doing ‘ . please explain and don’t pay any heed to the text books.
He may not be a drug user as stated above, there is a sadistic streak evident in many if these attackers that goes beyond assault and robbery. I suggest that many are desensitised by the modern media world and incapable of empathy. Older people are not respected and society has up to now portrayed them as a burden and a nuisance. Respect for the aged should be pressed home in schools etc.
Would not be surprised if he is only charged with manslaughter .
Horrific crime and there should be mandatory sentences imposed
this country needs the death penalty for sick depraved murders like this! you think prison will do him any good? No, he’ll just end up a better criminal!!
Good. And if this is the guy who murdered Eugene, i hope he goes down squealing !
People know it is more important to pay high wages to politicians and senior civil servants than it is to build jails and support the Garda with good resources. Right now the politicians and civil servants are working night and day borrowing to keep their money flowing into their bank accounts. Wake up people – more crime is on its way and jails are needed.
The guy has been ARRESTED, not charged with any offence.
Don’t you know the difference?
This guy was arrested in relation.to the incident, guards are hardly goin to arrest him unless they have some evidence that he has witheld information or is the person.who did it
There is no such thing as justice. Whoever did this deserves to rot in prison for the remainder of their life. They killed this man in cold blood so should spend the rest of theirs in prison in solitary confinement with no quality of life.
Harsher penalties could make criminals think twice before committing such disgraceful crimes.
As things stand, there is no justice, there is only the justice system.
Yet more sickening violence against men. Our culture just doesn’t take this seriously enough
#Johnny
I was meerly responding to all the back slapping and “great work” the gardai are getting in this tragic case in this thread with “could they have done more”?
As for facts – Eugene Gillespie is dead. He was found dying more than 24 hours AFTER a 999 Emergency call was made which “was quite specific” (Garda spokesman released this information only on Wednesday 27th). Fact
Councillor Declan Bree said on RTE news that “had Mr Gillespie been found on Thursday evening, due to “extent of his injuries he would not have survived”? Fact.
Who gave this information to Cllr Bree? State Patologist? Gardai? Hospital Spokesman? Doctor?
I even heard on RTE radio on Monday 24th September that Mr Gillespie, had he survived, would have had his hands “amputated”? Who released this information to the media?
Could the Gardai have done more? As it is a very prominent Brown Gate/Door which is less than 100 yards from Garda Station.
Maybe had he been found earlier he might have survived?
I didn’t know Mr Gillespie but if I was a friend or a family member I would want to know the answer?
…………Put yourself in Mr Gillespie’s shoes –
I simply asked – Could the Gardai have done more?
#Nuffsaid Thatsall
No I have no grudge against the Gardai but I do find it sad that a man has died and the Gardai seem to release information when it suits to garner and sway public opinion in their favor?
But hey …… each to their own. Had I known Eugene I would have wanted to know that every possible action was taken correctly while he was lying dying alone.
Also the man charged a Simon McGinley “presented himself at Sligo Garda Station on Friday night.”
RIP Eugene Gillespie
“Remember the control of information makes history!
Because you see so much more …. when you don’t see everything”
Ken Byrne 2012
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