A MYSTERY MAN who has been charged with allegedly using passports in the names of two dead babies has been positively identified as Randolph Parker, who Cork District Court previously heard has an FBI arrest record from 1970.

Detective Garda Padraig Hanley, of the Garda National Bureau of Crime Investigation, today told the court that they had been able to identify the accused with the assistance of the FBI and the US Embassy. 

He said that that the man in custody had a date of birth of the 7/3/1951 and was a US national.

No further details were given as to his personal circumstances. 

Frank Buttimer, solicitor for Mr Parker (72), said that his client acknowledged that he was the named person who had previously been called Philip Morris in court.

“Mr Morris acknowledges his correct name is Randolph Kirk Parker. He acknowledges that the date of birth as stated by Detective Garda Hanley is correct.”

Superintendent Pat Lyons was granted the right to amend the name on the charge sheet to Randolph Parker.

He also applied for a further remand in custody of Mr Parker for a month in order to complete the garda investigation.

“The state has crossed that hurdle of identifying the defendant. To complete the investigation regarding the original offence we require a four week adjournment to 5 December.”

Mr Buttimer said that there was consent from the defence for the four-week remand.

“Now that Mr Parker has acknowledged this correct name it is hoped the matter will be able to make progress with the DPP.”

Mr Parker, who appeared in court by video link, was further remanded in custody until 5 December next.

Meanwhile, the court previously heard that Interpol had been liaising with their 195 member countries in a bid to help gardaí identify the man.

At the last court hearing of the case, Garda Hanley said that they established that the man in custody had an FBI arrest record from 1970.

However, he did not name the man or give details pertaining to the arrest. 

Mr Parker is charged with providing false information to obtain passports in the names of two infants born in the 1950s, who died within months of their birth. 

Detective Garda Hanley previously said that when questioned, the man said he was living in Ireland and needed a passport to leave the country.

However, he refused to assist officers in any way and he also refused to tell them his true identity.

Detective Garda Hanley also previously told the court that a number of addresses in Ireland may or may not be linked with the man.

Gardaí have been in touch with the RSA, the Residential Tenancies Board, the ESB and the VHI.

A team has been set up to carry out enquiries and to liaise with Interpol. 

Meanwhile, Mr Parker was arrested on 15 September at the passport office in South Mall in Cork.

He was charged in the name of Philip Frank Morris of no fixed address, with a date of birth in the 1950s. 

He was charged with two offences relating to allegedly providing false or misleading information in order to obtain a passport. 

Detective Garda Hanley previously told the court that the man allegedly used the name of baby Philip Frank Morris, who was born in December 1952 but subsequently died, to apply for a passport in Cork.

Detective Garda Hanley said that when questioned, the man said he was residing in Ireland and needed the passport to leave the country.

Hanley said the man did not co-operate with officers in any way following his arrest. 

He said the man held an Irish passport for three decades but only recently obtained a PPS number.

He told Judge Olann Kelleher that they had spoken to the brother of the late Philip Morris who died at the age of four months in 1953.

The man was subsequently charged with an additional offence.

Detective Garda Hanley said that the man made no reply when he was charged with providing information or documents on 11 September last at the passport office in South Mall which were false or misleading. 

The court heard that the man allegedly had a passport in the name of Geoffrey Warbrook.

However, Detective Garda Hanley said gardaí have spoken to relatives of Mr Warbrook who confirmed that he died as a young baby in the early 1950s.

“Both of those two people (Philip Morris and Geoffrey Warbook) died. We have interviewed siblings of both of those people who died in 1952 and 1953. They died within months of their birth,” said Hanley.

“We are satisfied that he is not Philip Morris or Geoffrey Warbrook (the two names on passports allegedly seized from the man).”