Gardaí drop Brooks forgery probe
THREE men have been interviewed under caution by gardaí for allegedly forging the names of signatories against the Garth Brooks concerts at Croke Park last summer.
However, gardai have now recommended to the DPP that no-one should face criminal charges over the debacle. All three denied forging signatures and there is ‘insufficient evidence’ to prove otherwise, senior sources say.
The interviews with the three suspects were carried out within the past fortnight and the file was sent to the DPP last week, sources say.
A major inquiry was launched after officers established that some of the signatories apparently opposing the July concerts last year were living in Britain, the Mail previously revealed.
Others listed on documents submitted to Dublin City Council claim that they had no objection to the concerts and that their names and addresses were used without their knowledge or permission.
It is an offence under the 2001 Theft and Fraud Offences Act to forge signatures.
As part of the investigation, handwriting experts were brought in by gardaí to determine who was behind the bogus objections.
It is understood that more than 200 of the 373 objections are suspected to be forgeries.
A source said: ‘They all denied forging other signatures. There was not sufficient evidence to prove it. So the recommendation to the DPP was no criminal prosecution. It is now case closed.’
The cancellation of Brooks’s five concerts is estimated to have cost the Irish economy around €60million. The gigs were scrapped after the council ruled that the US country singer could only play three concerts following complaints from residents living near the stadium.
However, the singer refused to play three concerts and insisted it had to be five or none.
Around 400,000 fans had to be given refunds, while the hospitality industry missed out on a bonanza.
Brooks said last year: ‘As hard as I try, I cannot see the light on this one. So it is with a broken heart, I announce the ticket refunds for the event will go as posted by Ticketmaster.’