Garda hits back at Kerry Babies case criticisms
O’Carroll again calls for the exhumation of remains of both babies
FORMER murder squad detective Gerry O’Carroll has hit back at criticism of the Kerry Babies investigation of 1985, which emerged this week following the release of State papers.
Government files released under the 30-year-rule revealed that the then Garda commissioner Lawrence Wren criticised parts of the force’s investigation into the case.
He believed gardaí were ‘grossly negligent’ in conducting the investigation into the murder of an infant whose body was washed up on the shore in Cahirciveen in 1984. The investigation was thrown into confusion by the subsequent discovery of a second dead baby.
However, a former detective involved in the case, Gerry O’Carroll, has insisted to the Irish Mail on Sunday that it ‘was thoroughly and professionally investigated’.
‘If I’m wrong I’ll eat humble pie’
‘Yes, I am annoyed about the comments from the investigation,’ he said. ‘But I’ve written it in my book, I’ve said it time and time again: I want an exhumation’ of the bodies.’
The Kerry Babies case centred on Joanne Hayes. She was in a relationship with a married man Jeremiah Locke and gave birth to a baby boy on April 12, 1984. She was 25 at the time.
The newborn baby died on her family’s farm in Abbeydorney.
Two days later, the body of a baby boy who died from stab wounds to the heart was washed up in the White Strand in Cahirciveen. Detectives believed that the baby on White Strand was Ms Hayes’s child and she was accused of his murder.
She and her family signed statements admitting guilt.
However, at this point, the body of Ms Hayes’s child was found on her family farm. And it emerged that the Cahirciveen baby did not have the same blood type as Ms Hayes or her lover
This led gardaí to develop the unlikely theory of ‘superfecundation’: that both babies were Ms Hayes’s and were twins conceived by two fathers.
The Hayes family said they were coerced into giving their statements of guilt – and the case was ultimately thrown out due to lack of evidence.
Gardaí were cleared at a tribunal headed by a High Court judge of allegations of ill-treatment made by witnesses in the case.
A memorandum that was released as part of the State papers stated that the investigation had not reached any conclusion over allegations made by Joanne Hayes and members of her family.
All gardaí involved in the case denied the allegations.
Mr O’Carroll told the MoS this week: ‘I still believe both babies belong to Joanne Hayes, and I want to see an exhumation. Let’s end this thing for once and for all. Don’t test the samples that were taken by the State because they are contaminated – exhume the bodies. It’s the only way.
‘I want an exhumation of both babies’ bodies; let’s get the court orders, bring the bodies up. ‘And if I’m wrong, Gerry O’Carroll will eat a big slice of
humble pie.
‘While egos were damaged, careers ruined, at the heart of all of this is two dead babies.’
According to the State papers: ‘The Commissioner has concluded that, whatever about the truth of the allegations of the Hayes family, the report clearly indicates that the officers conducting the criminal investigation
‘Case against the Hayes family was thrown out’
into the death of the Cahirciveen baby were grossly negligent in their handling of the case and he considers that some form of sworn inquiry is required to establish what really happened’.
This weekend, journalist Nell McCafferty, who wrote a book on the case, said: ‘Why does Gerry O’Carroll want the bodies exhumed if he doesn’t believe in this theory of superfecundation? The theory was laughable and it was thrown out of court.’