ADAMS BACKS FAMILY’S APPEAL
THE family of Siobhán Phillips, who was seriously injured by her partner Crevan Mackin who murdered Garda Tony Golden before killing himself, have received the backing of Sinn Féin TD Gerry Adams for their calls for a public inquiry into the incident which led to the tragedy in Omeath two years ago.
Siobhan’s father Séan has spoken publicly about the violent abuse his daughter received at the hands of Crevan Mackin just days beforehand and claims that gardai in Dundalk refused to take a statement the day before the triple murder. The family want answers as to why Mackin wasn’t arrested and was free to shoot Siobhán and Garda Golden when they went to her home to collect her belongings on October 10, 2015.
Deputy Gerry Adams hosted a briefing by the family of Siobhán Philips in the Oireachtas last week.
‘Sinn Féin supports the call by the family of Siobhán Phillips for a full independent public inquiry,’ he said. ‘ This is a very tragic case. Garda Golden was murdered, Siobhán Philips was grievously wounded, and Crevan Mackin took his own life.’
‘Crevan Mackin was previously arrested in January 2015 in possession of explosives and firearm, which he admitted. He was not charged with these offences but instead with an offence he had denied. It is also believed that some in An Garda Síochána knew he had access to other weapons.
‘All of this is clear from a file that was sent to me and which I gave to the investigating officer in the Garda, to GSOC to the former Taoiseach and former Minister of Justice and to the current Taoiseach and the current Minister for Justice.
‘It’s two years, and the family also have issues about the treatment they received when they brought Siobhán, who had been severely assaulted by Crevan Mackin, to Dundalk Garda station.
‘ The only way that all of the facts can be ascertained in a transparent and accountable way is through a public inquiry.’
The Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission investigation, which opened in November 2016 is ongoing and the Garda Síochána have declined to comment the report is published.