No Justice for Wheelock Family

national | crime and justice | news report Wednesday March 10, 2010 16:18 by James WSM personal capacity

Ombudsman whitewashes for Gardai

An Inquiry by the Garda Ombudsman's office into the death of Terence Wheelock in September 2005 has cleared the Gardai of wrongdoing. Terence Wheelock was taken to hospital from a cell in Store Street Garda barracks in June of 2005 he never regained conciousness and died on September 16th 2005.

The family and friends of Terence launched a campaign to get the truth about his treatment in custody and hoped to get justice at the end. They were subjected to garda harassment and met obstacles at every pass. It is obvious from the evidence available that questions had to be answered. The Gardai cleaned and redecorated the cell before any serious forensic work could be carried out.

The Ombudsman's office said today that there is no evidence to support an allegation of assault and that the allegation of sexual assault was "wholly without foundation".

We are left with opinions and experience to come to conclusions ourselves. I would say that in the community from which Terence Wheelock came will have no doubts about what the truth is. In the corridors of power and the Garda Social Club the story will be different but they will be satisfied that the system again has performed as it is meant to and protected the institutions of the state from any "horrible vistas".

Terence Wheelock was a victim of a cruel and unaccountable police force in one of the worst stations , notorious for it's violence , in the state.

This report does not deliver justice it was never intended to and it never could.