Mother of Limerick murder victim welcomes new garda protective services unit

MARIA Dempsey, whose daughter was murdered, has welcomed the permanent establishment of a specialised Protective Services Unit in the Limerick garda division.

Maria’s daughter, Alicia Brough, was murdered alongside Sarah Hines, Sarah’s five-month-old daughter Amy and three-year-old son Reece in 2010.

The four were murdered by Sarah’s ex-partner John Geary, who pleaded guilty to the four murders and was sentenced to life.

“First and foremost, this is a massive step forward in tackling the crime of violence and abuse in the sanctuary of the home. Having a specialist garda task force will enable positive intervention opportunities and a greater understanding of the complexity of domestic violence overall,” said Maria.

The scheme, which saw the establishment of the specialised unit in Limerick last year, has been rolled out in a permanent capacity as part of a garda modernisation programme.

The Protective Services Units will deliver a professional approach to the investigation of specialised crime types, including sexual crime, child abuse and domestic abuse.

“It is indeed needed if we are going to face the effects that domestic violence has on families and particularly on children,” said Maria.

Maria says that despite the positive news, a lot still needs to be done in terms of dealing with domestic violence in Ireland.

“To move with the times, we have to have the awkward conversations, so as everyone understands how we can help when we are worried for someone you love,” said Maria.

“Some of the old ways we live in are changing. As the law challenges, these old ways of thinking, which often led to victims blaming will change too,” she added.

Maria has also welcomed the change in the law which makes coercive control a criminal offence.

Coercive control is an act or a pattern of acts of assault, threats, humiliation and intimidation or other abuse that is used to harm, punish, or frighten their victim.

Under the new Domestic Violence Act 2018, coercive control of another person is a criminal offence.

“Especially relevant is coercive control, the psychological abuse, which previously wasn’t fully understood. Now however that has changed,” Maria said.

“The whole understanding of coercive control needs complex training and will be enhanced by further training of other institutions so that together all service providers have an equal understanding of the issue,” she added.

The Domestic Violence Act 2018 replaces the Domestic Violence Act 1996 and the Domestic Violence (Amendment) Act 2002. 

The Act introduces factors that the Court shall consider when deciding on an application for an order under the Domestic Violence Act.