Gardaí faced questions after looking up Tallaght murders on Pulse system

Emails from bosses ‘had chilling effect’ on younger officers

A number of gardaí based in the district where three siblings were murdered by their brother Andy Cash found themselves facing questions for looking up the incident on the Pulse system.

The Irish Independent understands a number of officers received emails from garda management asking them to explain why they had looked up the incident the day after Cash stabbed to death his sister Lisa Cash (18) and twins Christy and Chelsea Cawley (8) at the family home in Tallaght.

Sources said the officers concerned were stationed in the M district, which covers Rathfarnham and Tallaght in south-west Dublin, and therefore wanted to inform themselves about a serious incident on their “patch”.

Earlier this week, Cash (26) received three life sentences after pleading guilty to murdering his two sisters and brother on September 4, 2022, in one of the most grotesque crimes ever recorded in the State.

Gardaí who had arrested Cash described walking into a scene of carnage, where the three victims had suffered “catastrophic” injuries.

A post-mortem revealed Lisa had suffered 71 slash and stab wounds to her face, neck, chest and limbs and there was evidence she had tried to defend herself.

Christy suffered 107 stabbing injuries before being thrown out of a firstfloor window of the house at Rossfield Avenue, while his sister Chelsea was stabbed and slashed 65 times.

Garda representative sources have revealed that a number of colleagues were “very concerned” when they received emails from management inquiring as to why they accessed the incident on the Pulse system.

The sources claim the action was “another example of an over-zealous disciplinary regime”.

Gardaí are not permitted to look into incidents if they are not involved in the actual case. It is intended to prevent the leaking of information regarding incidents, such as those involving wellknown people. However, sources said that in this case, gardaí were concerned about the Cash family and their relatives around the M district.

“It is, of course, wrong to look incidents up for the sake of gossip, but in this case, the gardaí concerned were doing what is expected of them, they were making sure they were acquainted with the facts of what happened in Tallaght and the family involved,” a source familiar with the incident said.

“The victims of this appalling crime were members of the Travelling community and the extended family live at different locations around the M [district]. They [officers] needed to know who was affected by this tragedy so that in the event that they engaged with relatives of the deceased, they could show empathy and express their condolences.”

The source confirmed the emails did not result in any disciplinary sanctions, but said they had a “chilling effect” on younger gardaí.

“The people who received the ‘please explain’ email were very concerned that in the current climate, they could face disciplinary action or even suspension,” the source said.

“The problem is that in future, some of the younger gardaí will be afraid to acquaint themselves with what’s going on.”

However, another source said policing access to Pulse “is important” to ensure “professional standards are observed”.

An Garda Síochána was contacted for comment.