“Disappointed at Supreme Court Ruling”
The Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors has released a statement on the Supreme Court ruling relating to the murder of Sgt. Pat Morrissey in the 1980’s.
Commenting on reports that Noel Callan the man convicted for murdering Sgt. Morrissey in 1985 could be eligible for remission, AGSI President Tim Galvin said, “AGSI is disappointed that the Supreme Court judgement could result in the release of this murderer before he has served his full sentence.
“When the death penalty for capital murder was replaced with a 40-year sentence, we presumed, as did the public, that 40 years meant exactly that. It now appears that this is not the case. The sentence imposed on Sergeant Morrissey’s family the day he was killed cannot be commuted and neither should Noel Callan’s.”
“If it is the case that a person convicted of capital murder can be considered for early release as the legislation is currently constructed we will be petitioning the Minister for Justice and the Government to remedy the situation immediately.
“It cannot be the case that a person convicted of the killing of a Garda or member of the Defence Forces does not serve their full sentence.”
Continuing, Tim Galvin said that “the punishment must fit the crime; if this murderer is released early justice will not have been served in this case.”
