Rape Tape Sergeant James Gill (retired) – To Sue or Not to Sue???

mayo | rights, freedoms and repression | news report

Wednesday September 04, 2013 08:42

by ags

To Sue:
Sgt James Gill (retired) is threatening Pat “The Chief” O'Donnell with bankruptcy over the defamation case, in which Gill's former classmate, Judge Margaret Heneghan awarded him €33,000 plus legal costs.

The former Garda, who retired in the aftermath of the furore over him making comments in which he spoke about raping female campaigners in Garda custody, is now seeking a total of €70,000 from Pat O'Donnell. The defamation case stemmed from a protest on the 3rd of November 2006 in which James Gill alleged that Pat O Donnell accused him of stealing diesel and smuggling tyres. Pat O'Donnell denied accusing Gill of these things however Judge Heneghan sided with Sgt Gill.

Or Not to Sue:
In the case against Pat O'Donnell, James Gill initiated defamation proceedings very promptly, however it seems that he hasn't been nearly as prompt in initiating other defamation proceedings against OSSL or its directors. Since September 2012 there have been consistent references on the Shell watchdog site www.royaldutchshellplc.com to an invoice published by OSSL a former service-provider to Shell on the Shell/Corrib Project.
In the invoice Gill is among four named Gardaí who are accused of accepting alcohol from the Shell subcontrator that had been smuggled into the State. James Gill has been openly accused in a much more publically visible manner than any accusation by Pat O'Donnell, of accepting bribes from Shell and accepting goods that had been smuggled into the State. WHY has James Gill not issued legal proceedings in this matter in as timely a manner as he did when he chose to sue The Chief????

Protecting his good name

In November 2006, then Sergeant James Gill (Jim to his cronies) initiated defamation proceedings in a civil suit against The Chief, Pat O’Donnell. The case took its usual time to trundle through the courts and was due to be heard in mid-2011. That timing was rather unfortunate for Mr Gill because, in the meantime, there was the little contretemps of the Rape Tape incident. Whether by co-incidence or not, Gill’s legal team made a unilateral application to the court to have the hearing deferred until November of that year; a medical cert was produced to the court for Gill and this was accepted.

The case began on November 07 2011 with Judge Margaret Heneghan presiding (by this time Gill had retired from the force and was therefore out of the reach of GSOC who had behaved badly in the whole Rape Tape issue but that’s an issue for another time – those who wish, may access an analysis of that affair at http://www.wsm.ie/c/gsoc-garda-rape-threat-tape).

Accounts of the court case can be read here http://www.mayonews.ie/index.php?option=com_content&vie...id=46 and here http://www.indymedia.ie/article/101060

Shortly after this judgement was reported in the press O’Donnell was contacted by a person of conscience who let him know that the presiding judge had boarded in Gortnor Abbey Secondary School, Crossnmolina for five years and that Gill, repeating his Leaving Cert there, had been in the final year with her; it also emerged that Gill and the judge had both been in attendance at a school re-union some years later. This matter is now the subject of further court proceedings.

Despite unfinished court business, Gill’s solicitors have recently informed The Chief that they intend to have him declared bankrupt if he doesn’t pay approx. €70,000 (legal costs plus Gill’s good name award) immediately.

Accusation of accepting Shell bribes:

Since September 2012 there have been consistent references on the Shell watchdog site www.royaldutchshellplc.com to an invoice published by OSSL a former service-provider to Shell on the Shell/Corrib Project.

This story was covered in The Observer newspaper on 11 August 2013 and a follow-up appeared in the London Times (Irish and English editions) on 18 August 2013. This has been followed up on in local and national press, Mid-West Radio, RnG, Newstalk and, eventually, on RTE radio and television; articles also appeared in the Norwegian press.

Gill is among five named police on the invoice – given that this is in the public domain since September 2012 WHY has James Gill not issued legal proceedings in this matter in as timely a manner as he did when he chose to sue The Chief????

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Comments (4 of 4)

He should be boycotted by community

by craghopper - n/a

Sat Jan 03, 2015 22:21

Didn't boycotting originate in Mayo? Don't see why this ape is dealt with accordingly.

Not paying his bills...

by UpEire

Thu Dec 11, 2014 03:35

Current information is that Gill has refused to pay his court witnesses. Measure of the man !! Is the chief still under threat of bankruptcy from this legend???

Mods will be mods

by Freewillie

Thu Sep 05, 2013 19:59

I don't really know why the other two posts were removed, particularly the last one.

The house shown on that post is commonly believed to have been bought by Gill - maybe it was from his gratuity or maybe not.

Fair comment I think.

Great little country

by Anne

Wed Sep 04, 2013 09:09

Pat The Chief O'Donnell is a fourth generation fisherman who speaks of how fishing kept himself and his brothers in employment
rather than having to emigrate like so many others.

This discredited former cop is now trying to deprive The Chief of his livelihood as if Pat and his family haven't gone through enough
already over the past years - his boat the Iona Isle sunk in circumstances that were never properly investigated; his and his son
Jonathon's boats impounded (probably illegally) just to make way for Shell's pipe-laying operation; court cases, jail, fines ...

So Gill - who was forced into retirement before GSOC finished their investigation into his Rape Tape comments: 'give me your name
and address or I'll rape you' - isn't satisfied with just his state pension (plus all that overtime policing the 'Golden Mile; for Shell) and
remains vindictive and bitter enough to try to bankrupt The Chief.

Any suggestions as to how Gill might be paid - bucket collection in Crossmolina?? raffle with case of smuggled booze as first prize??

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Rape Tape Sergeant James Gill (retired) – To Sue or Not to Sue???

Comments (4 of 4)