Shell security guard who assaulted nurse and garda gets off with suspended sentence

by Mike - Judean Popular Peoples Front Thu Jul 26, 2007 17:28

"The man, an Australian national....."

And they havent deported him ?

"......was suffering from trauma at the time of his assaults on the garda and the nurse"

So he decided it would be a good idea to traumatise others

by Bogman Fri Jul 27, 2007 02:14

To the Shell refinery building project,apart that he is a security gaurd there is??????????

by jim Fri Jul 27, 2007 11:46

It's relevant in contrast to the sentences recently received by protestors, some of whom had saved the life of one of the Gardai testifying against them. If that doesn't count for more than having no previous convictions, what does?

It's relevant because it exposes the judiciary's complicity in the most reprehensible case of neoliberal fascism in Ireland today.

by Sean Óg Fri Jul 27, 2007 15:46

"The man, an Australian national....."

And they havent deported him ?
-------------------

Maybe, just maybe, he had a work permit.

by digger Sat Jul 28, 2007 12:23

The guilt of Shell by association, (or the peacefull majority of S2S protestors with the violent fringe from Dublin), is a concept unknown to our constitution.

Imagine if the Gardai did a trawl through the records and past of all persons associated with the S2S campaign and then published the inevitable embarrasing results in an attempt to smear the S2S campaign by association?

The (justified) screeches of "fascism" would be heard from Mizen Head to bloody Foreland.

Interesting how the left fringe exposes its ugly face in everything it involves itself! in.

by jm - # Sat Jul 28, 2007 20:48

Seanad Election: 23 July 2007
Mark Garavan
951Votes
2.64% 0.11
Eliminated

by Leveller Tue Jul 31, 2007 21:56

Hmmm, that's an interesting attempt to smear the S2S campaign by association, Digger - putting "fascism" in the same sentence, without making any attempt to justify your smear. Here's the connection, as anyone reading the article can see - the same judge was far more lenient in dealing with a Shell security guard who assaulted someone than in dealing with a protester who was assaulted by the Gardai. Shell aren't responsible for what their employees do outside of work hours, but it's a nice example of the hypocrisy of the judiciary. I suppose the article could have cited another case where the same judge passed down a lenient sentence for someone who'd done something much worse than what the Rossport protesters were accused of - but the fact that the offender in this case works for Shell is a nice little irony. It's good to have some light shone on the record of the Irish judiciary - behind their mask of impartiality they are a prop for conservative forces.

by Ironclad Wed Aug 01, 2007 18:56

The important thuing to note is that this criminal is still working at the Shell site as a security guard.

He is being protected from the (peaceful) protests outside by Gardaí, similiar to the one he assaulted on New Year's Eve while he was drunk.

Now that's irony.

by Erris Land Owner Fri Aug 03, 2007 00:49

Any responsible company would sack this racist Australian security thug. But then Shell are not a responsible company They are not concerned with safety matters..In fact he would be an ideal employee to them. They need all the ruffians they can get to help their free brutal government aided ( with our money) police security force.
If the police were responsible they should prevent Shell having him back, but safety is not their concern either.

by rooster Fri Aug 03, 2007 22:05

if the security guard committed the assault while outside of work in his own time then why should Shell sack him?

by Seán Ryan Fri Aug 03, 2007 22:08

One possible reason for sacking him is that he is unsuitable for the job.

A security guard should be able to remain calm under pressure, so that s/he can remember details etc. This can hardly be said of this chap can it.

by rooster Fri Aug 03, 2007 22:14

yeah, but he was drunk in a night club, security guards aren't usually drunk!

by Seán Ryan Fri Aug 03, 2007 22:24

Being drunk is no excuse when one has obviously broken the law. This chap has a selective memory problem. He remembered being assaulted earlier in the night and he remembered being hit with a bottle before he was taken to hospital. However, he cannot remember himself doing anything wrong?

I wonder was any attempt made to find out if he has any prior criminal record back in Australia. I wonder what type of a background check Shell did on this guy, and if they did, what was the purpose of this check.

As I've said, a security guard should be able to remain calm and observant in a tense situation. For sure alcohol mitigated this ability. But overall, surely this man's behaviour, including his inability to handle his alcohol or his temper, makes him a bad choice for a security guard. Seems to me that he'd be a person who could potentially escallate a dangerous situation into a lethal one. Maybe that's why he's working for Shell to begin with.

by insider - none Sat Aug 04, 2007 13:05

"Security guards are not usually drunk", you tell us. Tell that to the female security guard who asked to be moved off night shifts because of drinking, blue movies and prostitutes being used to while away the hours. Two marriages of security guards are already on the rocks. One of the many local benefits this project is bringing.

by natas Thu Sep 13, 2007 16:37

this security guard while i don't condone his behaviour on this night the fact is he was not working at the time and has the same right as the rest of us to be able to go out for a drink. i don't think anyone would begrudge him that. yes he was assulted earlier that night and although he could not rember the assult he had cctv footage of that assult that shows him being viciously struck from behind and later shows his attacker on top of him on the ground doing his best to bite the top of the security guards finger off before being pulled off him and throwing a beer bottle into the his head. this cctv footage shows the australian just before the assult walk to the smoking area he was walking fine then and did not look to be drunk at that time. the assult on the nurse and the guard in castlebar later that night could easily been prevented as he had become aggressive while at the doctors surgery where he punched sargent flannery guards stated that the individual was aggressive with a bad head injury and finger where they had to escort the ambulance to the a & e where he was still aggressive. why then did they just take the hand cuffs off him and leave him unescorted if they were that worried about his behaviour do they not have a duty of care to mr tuni and to the general public did the fact that their shift was about to finish play a part in their decision.

by local Thu Sep 13, 2007 16:54

yes as i understand it there was a neurologists report read out in the court room which stated that the security guard had received a serious head injury, and as a reasult was suffering from something called organic brain syndrome

(Symptoms vary with the specific disease. In general, organic brain syndromes cause varying extent of confusion, delirium (severe, short term losses of brain function), agitation, and dementia (long-term, often progressive, losses of brain function).

which would not excuse his behaviour but would explain it as this is a short term psychiatric disorders.

by Curious Thu Sep 13, 2007 17:28

Exactly what benefit exactly does the project provide to anyoen other than Shell and Statoil?
And dont tell me all the labour is sourced locally,that simply isnt true.

by answer Thu Sep 13, 2007 18:30

see http://www.indymedia.ie/article/84195

by random Sat Sep 29, 2007 18:56

if i am not mistaken the security guard was accused of section 2 assaults which are the lowest form of asault there is. you could be done for a section 2 assault for just pushing some one. the protestors that are up for assault charges are up for more serious ones aren't they ?

by skeptic Sun Sep 30, 2007 18:49

Andrew Tuni caused facial injuries to the garda that were so serious they were photographed and shown to the judge at Belmullet District Court. You don't do that just by pushing.

by Witness Wed Oct 24, 2007 22:09

I was sitting in Belmullet District Court on the 12th of September last. I was close enough to see the pictures being shown to the judge by the Gardaí in the case of the Shell security guard who was up for assaulting Sergeant Flannery. I didn't get a very good look, as the pictures were shown to the judge and not the public, but since I was sitting right up at the front I am certain that I saw photographs of Sgt Flannery's injuries.

If anyone tells you that Andrew Tuni was not guilty of a serious assault or that no pictures were shown then they are lying.

by mise Mon Nov 05, 2007 13:18

firstly i thought you said you didn't get a very good look at the photos, so how can you tell that the injuries were serious.secondly i was also in the court room that day and as i recall most of the public had to stand at the rear of the room due to the large garda presence seated in the court room so i am amazed that you could have seen what you have claimed to have seen unless of course you were sitting in the middle of the large garda presence?

by ..? Sat Nov 10, 2007 20:52

and any1 who says that Andrew Tuni wasnt asaulted by the gards or wasnt assualted by an individual before hand are also lying .

by browser Sat Nov 10, 2007 20:59

to those of you who are talking complete and utter bullshit which is most of ye ....... get lifes ye bunch of sad bastards.
ye dont know what ye are talking about.

by john s Sat Nov 10, 2007 22:01

it appears to me that "witness" you are a member of the gardaí. As i too was in the court room that day and it would be highly impossible for a member of the public to have seen any of the documents that had been handed to the judge clearly enough to be able to read or see what was on them. The only people that were in clear view of what had been handed to the judge were garda Flannery and teh dective that was acting as the super that day. however the judge even commented on the day that she had already heard Mr.Tuni's defence and didnt even take up nor request to see any documentation in relation to this case. She did state however, that this man had been through enough (Mr. Tuni not garda Flannery).So "witness" i feel you are the one that is "lying" as i am 100 % sure as to what i had seen and heard on the 12th of Sept. 2007 in Belmullet Court room. Now as im not as knowlegdable to the ends and outs of the garda report which was prepared in this case. this garda report that was never made public as you appear to be. I can not say that there was no pictures of what you say , but i can say that they were never shown in the court room nor was any reference made to these alleged pictures. So that is why it appears to me that you are a member of the gardaí. Please feel free to fill us in as to how you are so aware of confidential files/report sheets if you are not a member.