| Tormey defends prison phone call |
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| Wednesday, 03 September 2008 | |
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A NORTSIDE councillor has revealed that he thought nothing wrong of speaking to convicted murderer Catherine Nevin over a mobile phone from her cell in Mountjoy Prison. Texts from Cllr Bill Tormey (FG) were also found on the phone which was found in possession of Nevin who has been nicknamed the ‘black widow’ by tabloid newspapers. In an interview with Northside People Cllr Tormey said he is innocent of any wrongdoing. “Somebody called me and asked if I would read out an article about Catherine Nevin,” he explained. “I’ve never met Catherine Nevin but I read the article out to a woman whom I believed to be her.” Catherine Nevin is eight years into a mandatory life sentence for the murder of her husband, Tom, at their Co Wicklow pub, Jack White's Inn in 1996. She was also found guilty on one charge of soliciting others to murder him. The 61-day trial gripped the country as tails of contract killings, money laundering, and claims of IRA connections emerged. The Nevins managed a pub in Finglas for a short spell before they took over Jack White’s Inn and were known in the area at the time. However, Cllr Tormey claims he has no idea why Catherine Nevin would contact him. “I don’t have a clue why they called me,” he said. “I suppose you can get my number easily as I’m a public representative. All I did was read out the piece in the paper, nothing else. There is nothing else in it.” However, Cllr Tormey refused to be drawn on the security risks of prisoners using mobiles while incarcerated. “I’m not going to comment on that,” he told Northside People. Cllr Tormey’s actions have been met with criticism and confusion from his fellow political representatives. “The whole thing is very bizarre,” said Roisin Shortall (Lab). “I think there is a very serious security issue in relation to a prisoner having access to a mobile phone.” Local councillor Dessie Ellis (SF) said people would be “ill-advised” to speak to prisoners over mobile phone. “Personally, I wouldn’t entertain such a phone call because of the repercussions,” he said. “Some of the more serious players in jail can conduct their criminal businesses from their cells which is obviously something that needs to be tackled.” A spokesperson for the Fine Gael press office declined to comment on Cllr Tormey’s phone call. A spokesperson for the Irish Prison Services, explained how modern cameras and probe systems aimed at detecting mobile phones within the prison are now being used as part of a phone clamp down. “These assist in searching previously difficult areas such as hollow chair or bed legs, U-bends in toilets, drain holes, under floor boards and other cavities,” he said. “These new technologies are a valuable asset in this area and there have been a number of significant seizures directly as a result of this new equipment.” The article of interest to Catherine Nevin was published in the Irish Times in January of this year. In the piece, columnist John Watters called for her case to be reviewed. “The complex and somewhat tedious evidence - as opposed to the kind of prejudiced speculation that sells newspapers - suggests that there may now be a serious doubt about the reliability of her [Catherine Nevin] conviction,” Mr Waters wrote. |
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Developed by Kevin Flynn