First Formal Complaint about David Connellan to Gardai.

First formal complaint to Kilkenny Gardai about David Connellan.
28-11-2005. Page 1. sheet 1.
Superintendant Garda Gordon Ryan.
Kilkenny Garda Station
Kilkenny City.
Under the Protections for Persons Reporting Child Abuse act 1998 section 5. I wish to make a formal complaint against Mr. David Connellan c/o Detective Garda Liam Maher and Detective Garda John Bergan. Kilkenny Garda Station. Kilkenny.
In a statement read out to myself at my home by Garda Maher on 8-11-2002, Mr. Connellan wrongfully and falsely accused me of sexually abusing him while he was a resident in St. Joseph’s Industrial School Kilkenny between 1973 and 1974.
What Mr. Connellan has said in his statement about me is untruthful, and has never happened.
As a result of Mr. Connellan’s untruthful and unfounded allegations, I was the subject of a Garda investigation. On 19-2-2004, I was informed by Detective Garda Maher that no charges would be proffered against me by the Director of Public Prosecutions.
Because of the untruthful allegations, both I and my wife had to suffer the indignity, humiliation, embarrassment, upset and trauma of our little five and a half year old adopted Russian daughter being medically and psychologically examined by The Health Services Executive, South Eastern Region because of their suspicion that I may have sexual contact with our daughter.
The result of the Health Board assessment dated 14-4-2003 cleared me of any abuse against our daughter. And they described her as a bright, happy, well adjusted child “who had given no indication of having been sexually abused” [see page 27]
I have suffered Humiliation, Intimidation, Stalking, Taunting, Threats, Upset, A Poison Pen Letter, Frustration, Loss of Opportunity, Loss of Income, Victimisation, Ostracisation, Embarrassment, Loss of my Friends, Loss of our Family Doctor, Fear, Degradation, Strain, Stress, Loss of Sleep, Loss of Holidays, loss of time with my Family, and the Stigma of being labeled a Child Abuser.
Both I and my wife suffered grievously when our daughter told us that another child had said to her that her Daddy was poison.
Children are forbidden to play with our daughter. Many more no longer come into our home. Sleep- overs do not happen any more. Our innocent daughter has to suffer rejection and isolation because of the untruthful and unfounded allegations made against me by Mr. Connellan.
First formal complaint to Kilkenny Gardai about David Connellan.
28-11-2005. Page 2. sheet 2.
I have become anxious and unhappy, and my wife has been changed as a direct result of those untruthful allegations, and I now have to live in this suffering for the rest of my life.

In January 2002, The Waterford Health Board file shows that Social Worker’s Mr. Ian Smith and Victoria Murray had a communication with Detective Garda Liam Maher, Kilkenny Garda Station, in which he gave them information about my accusers.
He informed them that one was a possible case of mistaken identity, another had withdrawn his allegation, and that my explanation was plausible with another. [See page 32]
There were four men who made allegations against me. The fourth man stated that I pressed against his bottom while at a party.
This is the only “serious sexual allegation” that the Gardai and the Health Boards have based their enquiries. [See page 30 line 12, and page 31 line 14.
Detective Garda Maher saw fit to inform the Health Board about the facts that vindicated my good name, but this Detective Garda Maher withheld that vital information from me. He left me to suffer in misery and grief.
The Health Board also declined to pass on that information to me.

While using the Freedom of Information service, it took me a year and a half to extract that information from those elusive people.

On 14-5-2003, a Poison Pen Letter which named me as a child abuser was sent to every home in our estate. Some months later, I pursued that matter with Sergeant John O’ Driscoll, Ferrybank Garda Station.
His words were that “I should forget about it”, and in a later conversation with the same Garda Sergeant, he expressed his contentment in the fact that I was lucky to be living in a democratic society.
All this and more am I suffering as a direct result of what Mr. Connellan has falsely stated against me.
In doing so, he has caused and inflicted upon myself and my Family and friends unrepairable damages.
His words have slandered and defamed my good name as a man and as a Father.
His words have changed and destroyed my life. I have become anxious and unhappy and suspicious.
First formal complaint to Kilkenny Gardai about David Connellan.


28-11-2005. Page 3. sheet 3.
At our home on 8-11-2002, Detective Garda Liam Maher read out a statement to me in which he said that David Connellan had stated that “I pressed against his bottom while at a party”.
I did not at any time ever press against Mr. Connellan’s bottom while at a party.
I submit that Mr. Connellan’s words against me are misleading, and wrongfully imply that I had had inappropriate behavior with him while at a party.

I note that the Gardai and the Health Services Executive South Eastern area Waterford have had serious concerns about this allegation, and that the Health Board had made arrangements to place our five year old adopted daughter into foster placement because of what Mr. Connellan had said.
[see page 30 lines 1 to 20, and page 31 lines 1 to 17.

I submit that Mr. Connellan’s words have destroyed and changed my life.

Both my wife and our daughter have also suffered and continue to suffer for the alleged crimes that I did not commit.

I am an altruistic, innocent victim of untruthful, unfounded, false allegations made against me by Mr. Connellan.

My good name is sullied, and is held on Garda file.[The Irish Police force.]
I am now classified by them as having a police record. And I now have to live for the rest of my life with the repugnant title of “Being known to the Gardai”.

Signed.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - -
ATTACHMENTS ATTACHMENTS
Page 27.
“CONCLUSIONS OF ASSESSMENT.
Given the allegations of past abuse against [Child's Father] it was appropriate that an assessment be carried out on [child’s name]
First formal complaint to the Kilkenny Gardai. Sheet 4.
On the basis of this assessment, on the balance of probability, in my opinion [..Child..] has given no indication of having been sexually abused. She presents as a bright, happy, well-adjusted child, who identified various touches appropriately.”
Signed:
Niamh Browne, M.S.W., C.Q.S.W. 14-4-2003.
==================================================
Page 30. Attachment. Attachment.
From Ian Smith, Social Worker to Sandra Merity, Child Care Manager. Waterford Community Centre. Cork Road. Waterford City.

1.I have been trying over the last three days to find out from An Garda 2.Siochana what allegations against [Child's Father] are to be sent to the …D.P.P.
3.So far Kilkenny Garda Station (Superintendent’s Office)have not called me back and [4]Garda Fenlon of Ferrybank Gardai has told me that there is a file in Kilkenny [5] to be sent to the D.P.P. but she could not give me any details.
6. Children First, Section 9.10./iii states that “It is essential that enquiries by the Health [7] Board and An Garda Siochana should be co-ordinated to ensure that there is a free [8] flow of relevant information between agencies”.
9. No Garda was available for yesterdays strategy meeting which was called under S.9.14 [10] of Children First, which states that “it is vital to share all available and relevant [11] information”.
12.If [Child's Father] is accused of serious sexual offences against children it is vital that [13] the Health Board is given this information immediately so that we can make a risk [14] assessment of { Child’s} circumstances and indeed inform the District Court if we are [15] to seek an Emergency Care Order.
16.Could you please find out from Kilkenny Gardai what allegations have been made [17] against [Child’s Father] , whether his accusers would wish to give evidence on behalf of [18] the South Eastern Health Board to protect [the Child] and why we received no Garda [19] Notification re. [the Child] from those officers working on the current criminal [20] investigation ?
Yours sincerely
Ian Smith, Acting Social Work Team Leader.
C.C. Lorraine Edwards, Principal Social Worker
Victoria Murray. Social Worker. Duty Intake Team.

PAGE 31. Attachment. sheet 5.

This page signed by Ian Smith Acting Social Work Team Leader. 9-1-2003.
14. It was agreed that given the seriousness of the concerns and the possibility of harm [15] coming to [the Child] if her father is aware of our involvement that an emergency care [16] order be sought if voluntary care is not forthcoming. [17] A foster placement has been arranged for [the Child].
PAGE 32.Attachment (Waterford Health Board File January 2003.)

Pc (phone call) to Ferrybank Gardai.Garda Verena Fenlon not on duty until 6pm this evening and at 10 in the morning Informed Garda of home visit tomorrow and the need for the possibility of Gardai to visit school tomorrow if there is a need for an emergency care order.

Pc to Detective Liam Maher, Kilkenny Gardai (056 22222)
Detective Maher stated that there have been 3 house parents in St. Joseph’s who have been convicted of abuse of children .Det. Maher stated that concerns were expressed to the Nuns in respect of [obliterated] and then he went missing at which point [Child's Father] took over.
Detective Maher stated that statements were taken from the boys and what was alleged against [Child's Father] was on the lower end of the scale of abuse that the boys were experiencing. Detective Maher stated that they failed to locate [Child's Father] and the order could not provide them with details such as date of birth etc. and {[Child's Father] had been paid by cash.
Detective Maher stated that one year ago a former student of St. Joseph’s spotted [Child's Father] at a Feis and made a statement of complaint against him. Det. Maher stated that they called to [Child's Father] in November and both he and his partner thought he was okay. Det. Maher stated that there was a problem with the statement in that the alleged victim could have been mistaking [Child's Father] for somebody else.
Detective Maher stated that [Child's Father] denied he ever did any harm but did state that in relation to one incident where he was demonstrating the facts of life he did touch a child’s penis in relation to keeping his foreskin clean. Detective Maher stated that there was not a lot of basis to the complaint. Det. Maher stated that [Child's Father] was quite up front about what he did and that his explanation was plausible. Det. Maher stated that there was another allegation where
Attachment Sheet 6.
[Child's Father] was alleged to have masturbated a boy on a bed but now the alleged victim did not want to proceed.
Detective Maher stated that [Child's Father] had made a statement in November 2002. Det. Maher stated that apart from St. Joseph’s that [Child's Father] had not come to light anywhere else. Det. Maher stated that a file would be sent to the D.P.P. but was unsure whether there would be a prosecution but that this was up to the D.P.P.