LAST UPDATE | 12 Aug 2020

SENIOR GARDAÍ HAVE expressed their relief while also insisting they will never “cease in the quest to bring accountability” to those involved in the death of Detective Adrian Donohoe after Armagh man Aaron Brady was found guilty of capital murder today. 

The 29-year-old with an address at New Road, Crossmaglen, Co Armagh will be sentenced to the mandatory term for capital murder of 40 years imprisonment.

Detective Garda Donohoe was murdered while assisting with a cash lift from a credit union in Lordship, Co Louth in 2013. 

“Today is an important step towards ensuring that all persons who are involved in the murder of Adrian and the subsequent provision of assistance to those involved will be brought to justice,” Chief Superintendent Christy Mangan said following today’s verdict. 

We will never cease in our quest to bring accountability to those who have murdered Adrian. We owe that to Adrian’s memory and to his family and to his friends, and to the people of Ireland.

Mangan renewed his appeal for information on those who were directly involved in the murder as well as those who provided “comfort” to the criminal gang involved. 

“Right throughout the trial process we were obviously working away so our aim is to bring everybody who was involved in the immediate crime and robbery, but also the people who provided comfort and logistical assistance afterwards, they will face justice as well,” he said. 

“They murdered Adrian, they left the scene and went into Northern Ireland and then they thought that borders would save them but borders didn’t save them… We will be continuing with our relentless pursuit of all the other people who were involved in this murder-robbery.

“There are people who provided logistical support after the robbery and the murder of Adrian so we’re very interested in dealing with them as well. We certainly would hope to bring them to justice as well. 

Mangan also expressed the mixed feeling among gardaí today – both relief and upset – following the verdict. 

“I would say there’s a huge sense of relief. Adrian went to work the same as thousands of gardai go to work everyday of the week to protect and service the community,” he said.

“It’s difficult working out there on a normal day but when one of your colleagues is murdered it makes it very, very difficult for all involved. 

“It is a very emotional day for everyone but we’re professional investigators so we’ve already taken stock of where we are and we will meet early next week to decide exactly where we’re going”

Mangan said the investigation spanned over three continents and assistance was provided in countries across Europe and the UK, Australia and North America. 

He noted in particular the assistance of Homeland Security in the US for its “invaluable assistance to An Garda Síochana during the murder investigation. This unprecedented cooperation greatly assisted us as investigators”.

“Communities on both sides of the [Irish] border have provided huge support to An Garda Síochana throughout the investigation,” he added. 

‘Closure’

Meanwhile, garda colleagues of detective Adrian Donohoe have said they hope today’s guilty verdict can help bring some closure to his family.

Brady had denied capital murder and said he had no involvement in the robbery that resulted in the detective’s death.

The jury of five men and seven women found him guilty on the robbery charge on Monday and returned today having been told by trial judge Mr Justice Michael White that they could bring a majority verdict on capital murder if ten of them agreed.

“Our first thoughts are with the family of Adrian Donohoe. No verdict and no sentence can ever replace the life taken from them,” said Jim Mulligan, President of the Garda Representative Association today.

“Adrian’s two children, who are still young, will never get their father back. Caroline, Adrian’s wife, will never get her husband back. We can only hope that today’s verdict begins the process of bringing healing and closure to Adrian’s family.”

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Mulligan said colleagues are conscious of other suspects being sought in connection with the incident and they “fervently hope they too will be brought to justice”.

“Adrian was a Detective Garda from a family steeped in garda tradition. Our thoughts are with them and with Adrian’s garda colleagues who lost a great workmate and a great friend on that fateful night seven-and-half years ago,” he said.

“We also extend our thoughts to the community Adrian served; and to his GAA colleagues in Co Louth and in his home county of Cavan, whom he represented with distinction as an U-21 Inter-County player.”

General secretary of the Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors (AGSI) Anroinette Cunningham said while “some justice has been served”, no sentence will ever return Adrian to his family. 

“Adrian was a man of distinction who served his community as a garda, as an inter-County footballer, but also as a volunteer. He will never be forgotten.

“We would like to pay tribute to the entire investigation team who worked on a transnational basis to secure today’s conviction. We also want to thank our international colleagues whose involvement was central to this case.”

Justice Minister Helen McEntee today said she wanted to comment An Garda Síochána for the “determined, persistent and painstaking investigation”.

“My hope, now that a person has been brought to justice for an unspeakably callous act committed against a decent and honourable garda, working in the course of his duty to protect his community, is that this can bring some element of comfort to Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe’s wife and family, his many friends and loyal colleagues,” she said.

“I know too that the investigation will continue relentlessly so that others responsible for the dreadful events that night may also be brought to justice.”

With reporting by Michelle Hennessy