Tribunal: Publican refused to evacuate for bomb scare
A Donegal publican who refused to evacuate his nightclub during a bomb scare instead “ranted and raved” to gardaí about how his family had been harassed by the force, a tribunal heard today.
Now retired garda Inspector James Griffin told the Morris Tribunal that on the night of May 3, 1997, he was called to a bomb scare at Frankie’s Nightclub in Raphoe, which turned out to be a hoax.
He tried to clear the premises but received no co-operation from management.
He said he took a phone call from owner Frank McBrearty Senior who refused to evacuate but complained the gardai had been harassing his family.
A second former Inspector told the tribunal that in November 1997 he was called to the same nightclub after another hoax bomb alert and the family was again unco-operative.
“I explained to him that I needed his premises cleared, that there was a bomb warning and that bomb warnings have to be taken very seriously,” Mr Griffin said.
“He wasn’t prepared to listen to me.
“He just went on ranting and raving about the problems he was having with the gardai, so I cut him short and said I was not interested in the problems he was having with the gardai, that it was no concern of mine and that I was only interested in the bomb scare and that I wanted the premises cleared, but he refused to clear the premises,” he said.
The tribunal is investigating harassment allegations made by the McBreartys against gardai, who are accused of singling out the family’s licensed business for excessive inspections after the death of cattle dealer Richie Barron.
Frank McBrearty Junior and cousin Mark McConnell were wrongly implicated in the October 1996 Barron death in Raphoe, a hit-and-run victim.
It is alleged officers were putting pressure on the family to get them to reveal covered-up information about the death.
Mr Griffin said he was approached outside the premises by Frank Jnr, who was shouting and being unco-operative.
Chief Superintendent John Dunleavy told the tribunal that on the night of November 23, 1997, he was called to Frankie’s Nightclub after another bomb warning had been given, which also turned out to be a hoax.
Mr Dunleavy, who was an Inspector at the time, said the McBreartys were again unco-operative and aggressive.
