Accused Man Brutally Beaten
gata_na...@my-dejanews.com
Accused man brutally beaten
Michael Caraher from Armagh was arrested in 1997 and has been in custody ever
since in what has been described as `internment by remand'. Anton McCabe
reports
On 1 February Micheal Caraher from Cullyhanna, Co Armagh, will face charges
of possessing two firearms and ammunition with intent to endanger life,
conspiring to murder a person or persons unknown, IRA membership and
attempted murder of an RUC Constable.
Caraher has one working lung. Part of the other had to be removed as a result
of his being shot and almost killed by soldiers on 30 December 1990. His
younger brother, Feargal, was killed in the same incident as they drove out
of a pub car park. The brutal and unprovoked nature of the shooting stirred
great controversy. He has been in poor health since, regularly attending the
thoracic surgeons in the Royal Victoria Hospital.
On 10 April 1997 he was one of seven men arrested in an operation by
undercover soldiers on a farm at Cregganduff, a country part to the north of
the Crossmaglen-Newry road. This was seen as a major security force coup: one
of the weapons found in a barn was a Barrett `Light Fifty' sniping rifle.
Also in the barn was a car allegedly modified for use as a gun platform.
Since 1992 eleven members of the security forces had been killed in
single-shot attacks in South Armagh, and a sniper was being energetically
hunted.
One of those arrested is charged with the murder of Lance Bombardier Stephen
Restorick at Bessbrook two months earlier: Restorick was the last soldier
killed in Northern Ireland, and his killing was particularly emotive.
The hype obscured worrying aspects. A report from Caraher's doctor, Mary
Allen, states that he received a very severe beating during his arrest. He
had gone to the farm to inquire about work baling silage, and was not in the
barn where the weapons and car were. A number of men suddenly appeared,
grabbed him and pushed him face-downwards onto the ground. He was kept there
by someone holding or pressing on his neck, and another or others standing on
the backs of his legs. He was kicked in the ribs and head.
After some minutes, he was handcuffed and left to kneel for more than an hour
in a field. While kneeling, he fainted.
The arrest occurred around 3pm. Dr Allen examined him early the following
morning, finding him ``quite ill'', in pain, short of breath and
disorientated. Both sides of his head were tender, showing signs of fresh
bruising, with a large swelling on his skull. There was ``tenderness all over
the chest wall'' and more fresh bruising. His calves and knees were bruised.
His left hand was also injured. Dr Allen accuses the police of being ``not
co-operative'' about either access or treatment.
She recommended that he be admitted to hospital and seen by a psychiatrist.
Caraher received no such treatment: during his seven-day further detention in
Gough Barracks, Armagh, he was twice taken briefly to Craigavon Area Hospital
by police car, having been sent there by the police doctor.
His solicitor, Rosemary Nelson, says it is ``much too regular that when he
comes into contact with the security forces he sustains injuries''. On June
18 1997 he was assaulted by police at a remand hearing in Craigavon Court.
These injuries required hospital treatment.
The matter was brought to the attention of the magistrate, but he refused to
intervene. Though handcuffed at the time, Caraher has been charged with
assaulting police.
Caraher had been increasingly concerned at police aggression during remand
hearings. When he was being taken up from cells that day, he alleges that
police threatened ``We'll get you, Caraher''.
The others arrested with Caraher received similar treatment, from both the
SAS squad who arrested them, and the RUC men who arrived by car about
half-an-hour later. The Irish Times of 18 April 1997 reported that Bernard
Martin McGinn from Castleblayney, Co Monaghan, was beaten with rifle butts
and barrels. He had to be brought to Craigavon area hospital after his
arrest. He was suffering extensive haematoma in both eyes, lacerations to the
nose, injuries to the head requiring staples, lacerations on the shoulders,
injuries to the arm caused by puncture wounds by rifle barrels, and injuries
to the lower back.
Six days after his arrest he was still in such pain that he had difficulty in
holding a pen. Nearly two years afterwards, he still suffers dizzy spells due
to the blows on his head: nerves in his neck may have been damaged. Thomas
Tiernan, Michael Mines' solicitor, saw visible cuts and bruises on his head
when he was finally granted access to him on the 12th.
Dr Allen examined Seamus McArdle and found he also had quite serious injuries.
Since Feargal Caraher was shot, there has been a constant pattern of
harassment against the Caraher family. Micheal was told they were ``going to
send him the same way that Feargal went''. Mention of Feargal has been a
constant feature in any contact with the security forces.
Caraher's father, Peter John, accuses the RUC of having pointed the family
out to each new army regiment. Photographs were taken of the family, which
they were told were being passed on to the UVF. Of this, Peter John says ``I
never had no dread of my Protestant neighbours. They are the best of
people''. Despite years of harassment, Michael Caraher is the first of his
family to be ever charged with any offence.
The length of his remand concerns Rosemary Nelson, who calls it ``internment
by remand''.
It has lasted over 21 months: the trial will last a minimum of six weeks.
Given remission, this is the equivalent of a four-year sentence. Such a long
delay is now unusual in Northern Ireland.
---
^..^
>'< Mess with me and -- Go n-ithe an cat thú is go n-ithe an diabhal
an cat.
http://sinnfein.ie
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Blue
gata_na...@my-dejanews.com wrote in message
<78opus$c9j$1...@nnrp1.dejanews.com>...
My heart bleeds for him. NOT!
Blue
Sheela na Gig
wrote:
>>Accused man brutally beaten
>
>
>
>My heart bleeds for him. NOT!
>Blue
Ah, another staunch supporter of the civil rights so many suffered for
such that we should enjoy. Why bother with all the fuss of due
process, it's just confusing. Matter of fact, anarchy rules dude.
_______________________________________________
Behind every great fortune lies a great crime.
Brendan Heading
dejanews.com writes
They've just murdered an informer...
--
Brendan Heading, Belfast, Northern Ireland
ICQ # 24010538
Is fearr Gaelige bhriste, ná Béarla cliste.
Michael McBurney
wrote:
>http://www.sbpost.ie/newspaper/current/news/Accused.html
>
>Accused man brutally beaten
Thanks. You've cheered me up no end :-)
Michael
Duncan Berry
Poor innocent thing and I bet he (nor his 5 friends) did n't even get
the job bailing silage.
--
Ian Berry
Harry Merrick
> In article <78opus$c9j$1...@nnrp1.dejanews.com>, gata_na_eireann@my-
> dejanews.com writes
> >http://www.sbpost.ie/newspaper/current/news/Accused.html
> >
> >Accused man brutally beaten
> >
> >Michael Caraher from Armagh was arrested in 1997 and has been in custody ever
> >since in what has been described as `internment by remand'. Anton McCabe
> >reports
> >
..................."SNIP"..............
> Poor innocent thing and I bet he (nor his 5 friends) did n't even get
> the job bailing silage.
>
> --
> Ian Berry
All this just goes to show what ignorant savages we, as "normal" people, have to
deal with in our usual daily routines. There is *NO* excuse for such anti-social
behaviour, either then or now.
--
Harry.
---
"Those Who Dwell In The Past Have No Life In The Future."
(Anon)
---
ICQ# 2546277
Attila the Hun
>>Allen, states that he received a very severe beating during his arrest.
>He
>>had gone to the farm to inquire about work baling silage, and was not
>in the
>>barn where the weapons and car were. A number of men suddenly appeared,
>>grabbed him and pushed him face-downwards onto the ground. He was kept
>there
>>by someone holding or pressing on his neck, and another or others
>standing on
>>the backs of his legs. He was kicked in the ribs and head.
>> P
Should have been shot in the head instead
>
>
>
>Poor innocent thing and I bet he (nor his 5 friends) did n't even get
>the job bailing silage.
--
Attila the Hun
"Our future depends upon whether or not we learn lessons from history"
- Kurt von Schussnig.
Tim Ireland
Attila the Hun <Att...@premier100.demon.co.uk> wrote in article
<zLxRaCAx...@premier100.demon.co.uk>...
>
> Should have been shot in the head instead
> >
> >
> --
> Attila the Hun
> "Our future depends upon whether or not we learn lessons from history"
> - Kurt von Schussnig.
>
To bad if he was innocent, but that has never worried the British army or
loyalist before so nothing has changed.
Tim
Alan D Red
Moosefucker!
Ok, there are no meeses in corkhat land, but there
should be, to give this twat something else to do
apart from grinding his nuts
############
Alain D'Rouge
Aka Mr Daddyhose
Tim Ireland
Alan D Red <fla...@dnet.co.uk> wrote in article
<36cc157c...@news.dnet.co.uk>...
> On Thu, 18 Feb 1999 07:26:12 GMT, "Tim Ireland"
> <unio...@lisp.com.au> wrote:
>
> >
> >
> >Attila the Hun <Att...@premier100.demon.co.uk> wrote in article
> ><zLxRaCAx...@premier100.demon.co.uk>...
> >>
> >> Should have been shot in the head instead
> >> >
> >> >
> >> --
> >> Attila the Hun
> >> "Our future depends upon whether or not we learn lessons from history"
> >> - Kurt von Schussnig.
> >>
> >
> >To bad if he was innocent, but that has never worried the British army
or
> >loyalist before so nothing has changed.
> >Tim
> Moosefucker!
Listen mate if you are going to call someone names, be bright enough to no
what you are talking about cockhead.
> Ok, there are no meeses in corkhat land, but there
> should be, to give this twat something else to do
> apart from grinding his nuts
>
>
> ############
>
> Alain D'Rouge
>
> Aka Mr Daddyhose
You seem to have a fixation on playing with yourself, didn't mummy and
daddy buy you toys to play with?.
Tim
Alan D Red
<unio...@lisp.com.au> wrote:
>
>
>Listen mate if you are going to call someone names, be bright enough to no
>what you are talking about cockhead.
>
I believe you began the insults Skippy, so take
them as you give them, for free
>> Ok, there are no meeses in corkhat land, but there
>> should be, to give this twat something else to do
>> apart from grinding his nuts
>>
>>
>> ############
>>
>> Alain D'Rouge
>>
>> Aka Mr Daddyhose
>
>
>You seem to have a fixation on playing with yourself, didn't mummy and
>daddy buy you toys to play with?.
>Tim
Yes, and if you had a mummy and daddy to speak of,
you wouldnt be so jealous
Tim Ireland
Alan D Red <fla...@dnet.co.uk> wrote in article
<36cd806f...@news.dnet.co.uk>...
I bet that reply to a long time to think up?.
It scary how your mind is so quick.
Tim
Tim Ireland
Alan D Red <fla...@dnet.co.uk> wrote in article
<36cd806f...@news.dnet.co.uk>...
> On Fri, 19 Feb 1999 01:56:30 GMT, "Tim Ireland"
> <unio...@lisp.com.au> wrote:
>
> >
> >
> >Listen mate if you are going to call someone names, be bright enough to
no
> >what you are talking about cockhead.
> >
>
> I believe you began the insults Skippy, so take
> them as you give them, for free
>
> ############
>
> Alain D'Rouge
>
> Aka Mr Daddyhose
So I started the insults?, I will give yoy one thing Alain you have never
let the truth get in the way of a lie.
Tim
Alan D Red
<unio...@lisp.com.au> wrote:
>
>
>Alan D Red <fla...@dnet.co.uk> wrote in article
><36cd806f...@news.dnet.co.uk>...
>> On Fri, 19 Feb 1999 01:56:30 GMT, "Tim Ireland"
>> <unio...@lisp.com.au> wrote:
>> Yes, and if you had a mummy and daddy to speak of,
>> you wouldnt be so jealous
>>
>>
>> ############
>>
>> Alain D'Rouge
>>
>> Aka Mr Daddyhose
>
>I bet that reply to a long time to think up?.
>It scary how your mind is so quick.
>Tim
>
It would be, if you understood it
Alan D Red
<unio...@lisp.com.au> wrote:
>
>
>So I started the insults?,
Yes
