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THE TAXI DRIVER shot in Drogheda last night has given an interview on LMFM to explain what happened and to refute online speculation that he’s involved in crime.
John Myles was shot while driving his taxi across the Bridge of Peace in Drogheda last night. He left his hospital bed to speak to the Michael Reade Show this morning.
“I don’t want to know who did it, I don’t care who did it,” he told Reade.
A man and a woman were in the taxi when the shooting began; Myles said that the front seat passenger is believed to have been the intended target.
There was only one bullet fired, he said, and it went “straight through the window” and hit him in his back.
He said that the front-seat passenger “got across my body and I still couldn’t get the seatbelt off after getting shot.”
He said both passengers got out of the taxi.
Whether I was dead or alive they didn’t care. I could have bled to death.
Of the violence in Drogheda, Myles said: “They do what they do because they can’t do an honest day’s work. It’s us that has to suffer.”
He said that he wouldn’t be alive if the bullet hadn’t travelled through his back, and criticised people who falsely claimed online that he was involved in the ongoing feud in Drogheda.
Speaking after John’s interview, the Mayor of Drogheda Paul Bell said that what happened last night was “absolutely shocking”, and encouraged people not to believe everything they read on social media.
“I know John Myles, John Myles is not a criminal… He’s trying to support his family and do his best as a citizen.”
He said that there were two things that stood out about last night’s shooting:
“Firstly, it was a [public] area, and secondly, it’s within view of the Garda station. It does show the determination of those involved in the crimes.”
He said that the type of crime involved “is of an organised and subversive nature”.
Gardaí have not confirmed if the passenger was the intended target of the attack.
In July 2018, a feud began between two gangs in Drogheda which has resulted in several shootings and deaths. Despite an increase in Garda resources, the violence has continued. This episode of The Explainer examines this issue:
<p style=”text-align: center;”><a href=”https://www.thejournal.ie/new-podcast-the-explainer-4527541-Mar2019/”>Find a full list of where the podcast is available here.</a></p>
The Explainer / SoundCloud
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Increase the number of guards, arm all of them and toughen sentences of those convicted of ALL crimes.
@David Harkin: You are aware that not all police officers WANT to be armed.
@David Harkin:
That won’t do. Our justice system exists with a revolving door to keep reoffenders and ludicrous claimants lining the pockets of those working in law.
@Beer Wolf:
Probably attracted Dentons to come to Ireland to get a piece of this farce…
@David Harkin: the French model of gendarmerie would provide a good option here.
Our DF is trained in ATCP ops and has/is working in missions across the globe on urban and green areas! Minor Trg in law/powers would be needed.
They are also better trained in use of firearms than AGS. Who to their credit don’t have the time/resources to train other than specialist units to a high standard of effective firearms training.
Call them out to saturate areas with checkpoints etc where the feuds are taking place with powers of search and detention. AGS maintain investigative and intelligence primacy as right in a democratic country. This would free more AGS to gather intelligence for targeting the individuals and breaking up the gangs whilst keeping the Ordinary citizen safer day to day.
@Tricia G: let the 4 that don’t want to be armed sit behind a desk so.
@Richie: what’s Trg?
@Martin Harte: sorry Martin ran out of letters. It’s training
@Richie: that is a very reasonable suggestion Richie. I have worked in both jobs and would be of the opinion that it could be an effective way of addressing the issue. As you have said the DF already are utilised as ATCP. The main problem would be that it is already becoming increasingly difficult to retain the numbers in the DF and they are getting stretched to carry out the duties they already have now. Unless there is an increase in wages and improvement in conditions it could be a struggle to implement.
@Tricia G: Well get the ones that dont mind carrying and using them . leave the other lads back at the station making teas .
Disgraceful that so many criminal are ‘out on bail’ and suspended sentences – this increases the likely hood innocent members of the general public getting caught up in this madness…
Also – Can the journalists in the Journal make a better effort at felshing out the facts of the story – as is increasingly the case these days other online news have much more detailed info about is actually happening in stories ……
This is from Indo at the moment …..
The volatile criminal who was the intended target is a leading member of the so-called anti-Maguire faction and has been linked to a number of gun attacks, including an attempted murder last February. The 24-year-old has been a prime target for the mob led by Owen Maguire.
The gangland target, who is on bail for a number of offences, was on his way to the town’s Garda station to sign on as part of his bail conditions when the gunman struck.
So apparently he is on bail , flagged a taxi and there was attempted shooting….and this article just says ….garda haven’t confirmed if the passenger was the intended target ???????
People should be more angry at the pi** poor Judges / suspended sentencing / multiple convictions on bail /and the fact innocent hard working people are getting caught up in gangland violence as a result. Tell that to your politicians that come knocking on your door ……
@Dave Hammond: the alternative to our bail system would seem to be the American internment system where a mere accusation of wrongdoing can see people imprisoned for up to 4 years awaiting trial. At the end of the day until someone is convicted of a crime they are presumed to be innocent of whatever they’ve been accused of and so only extraordinary circumstances should see bail denied.
@Gordon Comstock: why would that be only alternative ? Why cant we modernise and adapt criminal justice to make it more relevant – Just to be clear – the guy on bail is suspected to be involved in gang feud – has multiple previous offences – had to sign on garda station and attempted hit got the innocent taxi – and you think we shouldnt look at changing the way we manage criminals / suspects and gang members – nonsense – the system needs reform
@Gordon Comstock: maybe read the facts again
The intended target , a leading member of gang – has been linked to a number of precious attacks – including previous murder attempt ?? And you cant see that we need to look at how we manage these guys – what exactly would meet your ” exceptional” level to stop these lads from being able to wander around the public and flag a taxi when they are being targeted by other gangs ? The current irish system is not working mate.
Either we as a society deal with this or we carry on. Anyone with links to organised crime caught with a firearm needs to be sentenced to 50 years in prison. That’s where it needs to start & then tweak other aspects of the law. It’s way beyond time to solve this.
@Mjhint: Are you willing to pay way more tax to fund this?, because you would run out of prison space in a week lol
@Peter Hughes: Peter, we’re paying for it as it is. How much do you think will be spent on this investigation alone and the next one and next one?
@Peter Hughes: prison space is very cheap if it’s the throw away the key type with no effort at reform. Reform is a waste of time for these habitual criminals.
@Peter Hughes: Yes.
The money generated by recreational drug users is the reason the feud began and why it will continue. If you use drugs for recreational purposes then you must bear some responsibility for innocent victims. Remember it always harms someone THINK BEFORE YOU BUY http://www.thinkbeforeyoubuy.ie
@Think Before You Buy: Folks have been saying this since the issue kicked off, sorry but it does not work, either does the war on drugs. Maybe its time for a different approach, legalize, regulate and tax. Pump profits into rehab, health and education……see if it works what have we to lose at this stage?
Pusher pusher pusher out out out.
All X cons should be tagged.
The principal issue here isn’t casual drug use, it’s the extraordinary use of extreme violence in which an innocent member of the public was injured, and could have been killed. This shouldn’t be dramatised or glorified, the intended targets couldn’t have cared less that an innocent man was shot in an attempt on their lives. They didn’t check that he was safe, didn’t even check that he had a pulse. The cowards ran.
It’s this self serving, self interest the gardaí are up against, these people have demonstrated they’ll literally climb over a dying man and run away. Those doing the shooting are prepared to risk anything, you, me or or our children, to get what they want. They’re known, but it takes armed backup to raid or arrest them, and there just isn’t enough armed gardaí.
The courts are operating a 19th century system which is primarily concerned with legal fees. The government can do nothing about it as independence of the judiciary is called on if any minister should dare criticise them or call change.
Like the Catholic Church in the past, any institution protected from criticism will be overcome with self serving importance and corruption.
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