Media 'should have been told not to release Carthy details'

Barr Tribunal: Gardaí should have asked the media not to release specific personal details about Mr John Carthy, as requested by his family, a forensic psychologist has told the Barr tribunal.

Members of the media who arrived at the scene at Abbeylara, Co Longford, were asked to behave sensitively in relation to their reporting of the siege, but were not told that there were certain personal matters, particularly Mr Carthy's recent break-up with his girlfriend, that should be avoided, the tribunal heard.

Dr Ian McKenzie, who has lectured British police forces on hostage negotiations, said Mr Carthy's family had expressly told gardaí that these personal details would upset him and should not form part of their negotiations. This information should have been passed on to the media.

Counsel for the tribunal, Mr Michael McGrath, said the gardaí would have had to rely on the compliance of the media not to reveal the information, and there was the risk that "certain sections" of the media would use the information, precisely because it was personal.

Asking the media not to reveal certain details had always been successful in the UK, Dr McKenzie said, particularly when lives were at risk.

"There is no reason to believe that even the worst elements of the press would breach a request for assistance, particularly when it could result in someone's life being lost."

If the information was used after the siege ended, that could represent an invasion of the subject's privacy, Mr McGrath said.

The particular information surrounding the Abbeylara siege could become public knowledge after the event, Dr McKenzie said, but it should have been communicated to the press, "regardless of any wider privacy issue".

About one hour before the end of the Abbeylara siege, RTÉ radio broadcast personal details about Mr Carthy during its Five Seven Live current affairs programme.

An investigation of whether RTÉ had been asked by gardaí not to reveal personal details and failed to comply will form part of the tribunal's media module, to be held at a later date.