Sign in. It’s quick, free and it’s up to you.
An account is an optional way to support the work we do. Find out more.
A 17-YEAR-OLD teenager, who claimed she was defamed when she was publicly described as a pickpocket on a Luas tram, was today awarded damages in the Circuit Civil Court.
Rebecca Conroy alleged that the incident, which is denied by Luas operator Veolia Transport Light Rail Ltd, happened when she was on a tram in Smithfield, Dublin, on 16 April 2011, with her mother, Marion Conroy, and three other people.
Cormac Quinn, counsel for Rebecca, told the court that the group had just boarded the streetcar when the driver announced over the loudspeaker system that pickpockets had boarded the tram and passengers should take care of their belongings.
Rebecca, of Deansrath Lawn, Clondalkin, Dublin, claimed that the announcement had been directed at her and afterwards passengers had been looking at her. She had felt they did not want to sit beside her.
The teenager alleged in her Civil Bill, which claimed damages of up to €38,000, that her mother made a complaint to the Luas driver who had told her that he had been instructed to make the announcement as he thought they were Romanian gypsies.
Rebecca, through her mother Marion, sued Veolia Transport Light Rail Ltd, for defamation. She claimed she had been shamed, humiliated, highly embarrassed and distressed and was now reluctant to use the Luas.
Veolia Transport, which had delivered a full defence to Rebecca’s €38,000 damages claim, denied the incident had occurred in the manner alleged or that the words had been directed towards her.
It claimed the driver issued an announcement after having been “expressly instructed” by an Garda Síochána to notify passengers that there may be pickpockets operating in the area.
The company claimed the tram driver had therefore republished the public warning and had said: “Please take care of your personal belongings as there may be pickpockets operating on the tram.”
Mr Quinn, who appeared with Eugene Smartt solicitors, said the company had made a €2,500 settlement offer to Rebecca, which he recommended to the court. Judge Groarke approved it.
It is believed that outstanding claims have also been made by all of the other members of the group accompanying Rebecca on the day.
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
I wonder when the outrage over Gay Mitchell’s clemency letter appealing for a reduced sentance for a murderer in America is gonna come out
*twiddles thumbs*
Or for that matter, his defence of Italian MEP Rocco Buttiglione’s remark that homosexuality was a sin…refer to wikipedia under “Gay Mitchell”.
Mr Buttiglione’s anti-gay views cost him a European Commissoner’s post…
What’s that about Abi?
Heaven forbid that he should try and spare a man’s life. This is mudslinging of the lowest kind.
One second. Gay tried to call for a man not to be given the death penalty. Yet your comparing it to David Norris writing a letter in support of someone who sexual assaulted a young boy. There is a huge difference
Both were letters for leniency (although by the sounds of it Paul Hill was happy to die a martyr for his cause…)
Unless I missed the point, there is NO sexual assault here. My belief is that there was consent but the other person was short of the age of consent. Still wrong but a far cry from sexual assault. Let’s stick to the facts, this argument is complex enough without exaggerations being introduced.
Gay Mitchell is a long-time campaigner against the death-penalty and pleaded for a murderers’ death-penalty to be commuted to life imprisonment, being true to his stated convictions. David Norris, it appears, is a long-time campaigner for pederasty and pleaded for a pedophiles’ jail-sentence to be reduced, and tried to force RTE not to air an exposé on his good friend, Cathal O’Searcaigh, beint true to his stated conviction. This will stand to Gay Mitchell, it will stand against David Norris.
I’m not anti-Gay, I really hope he wins.
Well said Brian.
John. No man aged 37 should have sex with a 15 year old. Even if the 15 wanted to.Its wrong. Yes it may not be rape offically but its sick .Norris one 3 different occasions has been involved in scandals about men and young boys.
Time to leave public office for good
Technically Brian Nawi is not a pedophile, he is a hebephile which is someone attracted to post pubescent teens.
Sorry my bad. I meant Ephebophile.
He hasn’t done anything any other person assigned to Dail Eireann hasn’t done. But the smear campaign lodged against him has been venomous. I have no allegiance to anybody, but if only all this uproar could be applied to Bankers and people who gave personal loans to the state, through banks, could get this level of hatred spat at them, as publicly as this, some of us could have a life.. and not still be paying for their underhanded level of corruption. Makes me mad as Hell.
Plenty of other members of Dail Eireann have had to resign over similar conduct
The other members of Dail Eireann who had to resign over similar conduct resigned because they made a plea of clemency to a judge in their own jurisdiction, which improperly imposed upon the seperation of powers that should exist in a democratic state.
I don’t think there is a smear campaign. What has been reported is factual. We need to know these things. The Irish people have put up with a lot of crap over the years, we now want honesty and transparancy.
I’m very disappointed, by Deputy McGrath’s decision to withdraw his support for the Nomination of Senator Norris. I have no difficultly with his decision to reverse his less than week old endorsement of Senator Norris. No, my difficultly with this evenings decision by the Deputy, is his pronouncement that it’s based on his deciding to put, “children and the Presidency first”. What exactly are we to deduce from that. Is it that, Senator Norris’s ascent to the Presidency would, would what? put children in harm, in danger, in a state of anxiety. Because, what exactly? David Norris would be residing in the Park. What exactly does the good Deputy mean, what exactly is he inferring, what exactly is he insinuating. The good Deputy is an opportunist, or to be kind, a pragmatist. We’ve seen it displayed with swagger over the last decade. His agreement with the previous government, was good enough for him, also long as it didn’t affect his local interests, his largesse, his pet projects, his being seen to bring back the pork. This elected official would struggle to ascend to the dizzying heights of a State legislature in the U.S., tis our misfortune as a small Nation, that we be saddled with such minions.
Continue the Campaign Senator, do not be deflected from your present endeavour to secure a Nomination by this minor set-back. You have from many of the comments posted here, over the last few days, and on other forums, much support. Keep the faith. Continue the fight.
Maybe it’s not an implication that Norris would be a threat to children, just that he doesn’t believe Norris has put children first himself.
Easy on the commas there Damien.
@Dvonne What can I say I suffer from Tourette’s mate. Might well be in bad taste that joke though. I make my apology in advance.
Their support for Norris should continue on the basis that they are correcting a democratic deficit by allowing him onto the ballot paper. The people should decide what candidate would best uphold the ‘integrity of the office of President’ and certainly not two spineless Independent TDs.
Bad enough the letter and then to take us all for fools, hiding the fact, he is the same as them all. the political class a group of people who see us as the life form they feed on. I am angry have they no pride in being a paid public servant. Are we not worthy of respect we have to demand it,
Finian McGrath has fought a long and very dedicated series of campaigns to represent his constituents. He deserves credit for his proven integrity and his decision to stand down from the Norris candidature bandwagon is the right one.
Norris should not have sought leniency for his ex-partner given the seriousness of the crime. A very poor judgement. Would he have spoken favourably of those who demanded clemency for clerical sex abusers? No, and quite rightly do.
dont even think about comparing this to the actions of priests. just… dont. they are in a whole ballpark of disgustingness all unto themselves.
Agree 100% with Frank. Consensual sex with somebody shy of the age of consent is wrong but a million miles away from what those horrible priests did to children. Not a worthy comparison, apples v oranges.
@Frank mc Mahon : Frank what is the difference, Norris tried to protect a sex offender. Priest and bishops did this too. There is no difference it’s the same. Norris also stayed faithful to this man for 4 years after the offence and knew the dirty little secret. To me this is like bishops and priests ( I know that not all priests and bishops are not guilty of this) moving pedo priests around and not telling the Garda
Mr G he didn’t try to protect him frkm anything other than a jail sentence. Also I don’t know how you can have a “dirty little secret” if you plead guilty in open court.
@Mr G. Consensual sex with somebody a year off the age is not the same as a dirty old man interfering with children from the age of nappies and upwards. Lets get a bit of sense in to this debate. Norris was WRONG to write asking for leniency and especially on Seanad headed paper but to compare him to a dirty old bishop covering up child abuse is just ridiculous.
Sorry lads but this is how I feel about it. Dont know if you have kids but If it was your son or daughter, and this happened, I would class it as abuse. And would not be defending Norris’s actions
John what if it was a girl? Underage is underage either 4,5,6 14,15 etc all wrong. The boy in question was preyed upon he knew no difference. Innocence destroyed
@ Mr g Both actions are wrong but one is far worse than the other. Innocence destroyed Vs life destroyed. I think both are disgusting but what happens to helpless children at hands of dirty priests and people of trust is the worst thing which could happen to any child. Their lives are ruined forever, and their innocence taken away. They are helpless. I have children and i consider this my greatest fear.
there seems to be a double standard at play, if a 37 year old man sodomized a 15 year old girl would anyone call for leniency?
I hope this doesn’t mean we”re back to the gay thing.
Anyway, I was under the impression that Senator Norris asked for clemency post-conviction and pre-sentencing, rather than trying to held his friend “get off” a charge for which he had been accused. Is this correct?
@ David; yes I believe so, he asked for the minimum sentence to be imposed, i.e. a suspend sentence, this for a man convicted of statutory rape.
Thanks for concirming that, A. I have seen a lot of comments using the term “trying to get him off with rape” and the like, and although I cannot condone interference with any judicial process, especially in such a case, there is quite a difference between what is inferred and what happened.
The only realistic voice running for Presidency we can have in the Áras is Michael D Higgins, I am not a labour supporter so I differentiate between Him and the Party Big Time! He is a true statesman and the Labour party are sell outs. Michael D has openly stood up for the working class right through his political career.
It’s not in the balance. It’s done and dusted, over and out. Forget the blame game, it is of no lasting consequence. Norris’s ambiguous attitude to child abuse where always going to make him unsuitable for President. It’s just a shame that it has taken people so long to see this. He should probably resign from the senate as well and write his memoirs which I would imagine would be a very interesting read.
This is a good day for Irish politics. It shows that we are no longer prepared to allow politicians’ misdeeds to go unnoticed and ignored. There have certainly been worse offenders and hopefully they too will pay for their wrongdoing.
Well said.I agree about the Seanad. Its about time we saw a bit of public standards in Ireland.There is this culture of hang on in there and hope it all goes away.Rather than doing what it right and resigning.
Child abuse?? Come on….that’s a bit over the top. I do not condone sex with a minor but it’s not child abuse. I agree though that he should consider his position in the Seanad. How dare he use headed paper for personal gains. His election campaign is over I feel.
Sodomizing a 15 year old isn’t child abuse? What exactly is it then?
@Keith It is an insult to every man woman and child in this country who has suffered child abuse and had it affect their entire lives to compare it to consensual sex. Whilst I disagree completely with sex with a minor, it is a long distance away from a 60 year old dirty priest abusing 6 and 7 year old boys over a number of years – that’s child abuse.
@ John; it is statutory rape, sex with a minor is seen as child abuse in the legal system. Child abuse can happen once, it is not always a long drawn out affair with a priest involved.
@Gavan – Is it not a bit presumptuous to say Norris can count on the 13 remaining votes? I mean as far as I am aware, a few supporters have been unavailable for comment, which could imply wavering support.
I think it’s unfair that all this lob-sided dirt digging is on Sen Norris, its not as if the other two are squeaky clean, yet they have been left alone? There’s been a campaign to keep him from the presidency from day one!
And if all he has going against him is an interview quote taken out of context and a moment of bad judgement over someone he cared about, then what is he only human! I dare anyone to say they haven’t ever made a mistake!
…I can think of a few politicians who are dirtier and yet allowed to be…
I think his chances of securing the nominations are pretty much over. The whole timing of this event is no coincidence. It’s not like he’s just starting out in a political career hes been in the Seannad for many years so he’s been in the public eye for Many years?so the question one has to ask is why now. It is obvious that someone out there is trying to tarnish his reputation in the effort to finish him as a presidential candidate….and politicians being politicians I would not be surprised if one of the other candidates had involvement in the timing of all this.
Why now? Well maybe because he is running for the highest office in the land, not just the Trinity seat in the Seanad. All the candidates in this race will be scrutinised by our media.
This is just another sleazy attack on David Norris.
Which ever camp is digging these stories up should be ashamed of themselves.
We have no idea what the details of the case are and it is too easy for us to be miss led when we are deliberately not being given all the facts.
I trust in my own judgement that David Norris is man of impeccable character and I believe he will make a great president.
Good luck David!
No what is sleazy is that Norris would seek to defend a person convicted of statutory rape on a 15 year old boy.
I know personally that I would not continue in a relationship with a convicted child abuser, as Norris did until 2001.
As Fergus Finlay said yesterday- a child can’t consent to sex. Children depend on adults to protect them from wrong decisions they may make due to their immaturity. Saying that a child is a consenting partner seems to be an attempt to wriggle out of blame and adult responsibility. Taking advantage of that child’s youth and immaturity is an abuse. I can’t think of any nicer name for it. Isn’t that one of the approaches that child abusers take- grooming a child so they appear to consent, something that can add to the pain and suffering of the innocent victim even years after the incident or incidences.
Sorry, that comment was meant to be addressed to John Woods.
It’s a shame that we cannot find a person that is honourable and right for the job. it’s hard to pick a prez from the line up we have, hopefully a new person will enter the race late and not be connected with any party or any scandal. The prez is there to represent us not a political party/race/sexulity/organisation the person needs to be independent of all of these.
You’re dead right, our problem isn’t Norris per sé – it’s the whole lot of them. None of them stick out as an ideal candidate capable of filling Mary McAlesse’s shoes. None of them inspire me, we need new candidates entering the contest.
I’d suggest that Fergus Finlay, although not wanted by the Labour Party, would be an excellent choice. He has always stood clearly for fairness and and decency with a preferential disposition towards the marginalised.
The fact that he has never been an elected representative for a political party makes him more attractive (similar to our two most recent Presidents) as the Presidency should be above party politics and be a representative role for ALL the people of Ireland.
I wonder could he be persuaded to run as an Independent candidate or maybe in a very brave gesture be nominated by FF as a cross-over candidate?
If Senator Norris pulls out, due to the events of the past few days, or rather the rehashing, regurgitating, re-heating of events along since past, which have utterly no relevance to the question before us. Namely the question of the character of David Norris, not seen through the prism, malignly created by others, to manipulate and attempt a reinterpretation of the man by the general public. If upon that, his candidacy falls, then we shall be the poorer for it, democracy shall be the poorer for it, the Republic shall be the poorer for it. And what will be exposed for all to see, at home and beyond the seas, is the pretensions of a self-proclaimed Secular Pluralist Republic. The dream, that we might make of this Nation, a Virtuous Republic, will be at an end. A grave injustice is being inflicted upon this honourable and good man, that we might acquiesce in that, by a general acclamation of silence, fills me with an enormous foreboding, of the nature of the Society about me.
Your a bit weird damien
The disappeared, those members of the Oireachtas, that previously supported Norris but now can no longer be found or contacted should scuttle out of their holes and let the man know where they stand, he certainly deserves to be treated with respect.
And Thomas pringle has withdrawn
I’d like to get some dirt on the other candidates…….I’m sure that they all have skeletons in their closet.
Whatever about this revelation, I commend those who supported Senator Norris’s nomination out of a desire to see democracy served, particularly those who stated up front that despite their support of his nomination, they had another preferred candidate. I think it will be as good as impossible to find someone with the balls to do that now, and this means that the people will not get to speak outside of these pages.
Looks like were about to loose the best candidate and the presidency goes to the main parties another “job for the boys”. ……. Shame
Oh shut up. Every single Norris article… Always with the vitriol…
If Norris was the one who was actually accused of the statutory rape I’d think differently…I’m sure most people would…..but regardless of wheter we think him appealing for clemency is right or wrong….he has the right to freedom of speech…he has the right to defend his friend/lover or whatever the hell he was to him….how on earth is this going to impact on him being a
Great president?it cant!and whatever the case I agree with David that the people of Ireland should be able to choose their president NOT the politicians.
Have you read the letter? It’s on official Seanad headed notepaper, and he includes a lengthy section on how well regarded he is in Ireland. He makes it sounds like his plea for clemency comes endorsed by the population at large. That’s a huge liberty to take — particularly for someone who seeks to be entrusted with the role of representing us as a nation.
It seems to me that David Norris is being punished for something he did a number of years ago – a favor for a friend. How many of us would now like the decisions we made 20 plus years ago to be held up the scrutiny of the today’s microscope. We are looking at a different era, different standards and a totally different values base. Let us not forget that in the Ireland of 1997 women were being refused the sacraments of communion and confession in the so called catholic church because they refused to live with a man who was basically beating the Cr… out of them every weekend when he got a few jars on board. We can’t go and change history. I am sure if David Norris was asked to write that letter now he would make a different decision. But he needs to come out and state where he stands on this issue. Unfortunately he is a dead duck as far as his presidency bid is concerned. It will be interesting to see who is next in line to be “eliminated” by the media puppets controlled by the powers that be.
The people of Ireland want the choice to vote for David Norris, or not. Let them do it! What’s your problem?
I am deeply saddened by what has happened to David Norris and his campaign for the presidency. I still believe in his candidacy but realise it is very unlikely now that he will achieve a nomination even. It seems to me that there has been a conspiracy against him and I believe that a good man has been dragged into the mire undeservedly. Having met him many times over the years, I believe he is a very moral man but his excellent traits of loyalty, honesty and integrity have landed him in a position which will just hang him in the world we live in!
My thoughts are with you, David. Take care ….
Jesus Christ people get over yourselves mr norris has made his bed so let him lay in it, the public will decide his roll in all this
Good men and women will always be judged by there actions it’s the way of life and more obvious in public life and they will live or die by their actions,
However in this case leverage was used thru the means of using official state stationary that implied it had the support of the state ( you and me ) which is not the case. So yes others are there probably doing similar practices and yes it’s hard to find decent politicians but that says more about us than them
Mr Norris was found out and when your found out you have to answer to the people you supposedly represent
The post of presidency requires honesty strength character and most of all the backing of your people I’m afraid that mr Norris will fall on these grounds
But the common thread is we do need an absolute out of the blue candidate not swept away by political affiliation,agendas, and so on
May we be as lucky as we have been two mega presidents in the two marys tuf boots to fill
Sean I believe Trevor sargent also tried to use his position to influence a case.he didn’t resign from the dail.
Yip as I said I understand they are all at it in many different respects which I added said more about us than them for supporting and or voting for them
Trevor Sargent did he not step down as leader of green party my grasp on the facts here cud be sketchy
Framed by the church probably, like Robert Langdon
Another person to throw his support behind Michael D.
Someone, somewhere is rubbing their hands in glee.
Good on ye, Damien.
Ya he did….I’m not arguing with that…if you bothered to read my comment more closely you would see I said that he didn’t resign from the dail. Anyway the point people are trying to make here are that they want to have the option of who they want as president. you may not want to vote for him but other people want to be given the choice…politicians or you for that matter shouldn’t decide that he can’t run for president…it’s undemocratic and unfair.
And as for your other comment..I don’t know if I would be bothered with something so miniscule that happened years upon years ago.as I heard some woman say on television last night “we
lived in a whole different world back then.”
…and Ramadan Mubarak to all your families :))
Look apply this scenario/ to any job interview or position of influence at local or international level
Wud you allow a any person in this same/similar circumstance given the information at hand and no response from said individual how wud u address it or wud you throw caution to the wind and let them have a go….
When notions or ideas are misrepresented when working in any position of authority you will and shud pay the price
I think a show of spoiled votes would be an appropriate response to the way the mainstream parties smeared David Norris into oblivion.
Put down Norris name and mark your “X” beside it.
It won’t shame the shameless, but it will put them on notice.
have your say