Minister meets with family of murdered garda amid issues around defective gun holsters

By Cillian Sherlock, PA

The Justice Minister has met with the family of a murdered garda around issues raised in the Dáil about defective gun holsters.

Det Garda Colm Horkan, 49, who was originally from Charlestown and was an active member of the Sarsfields club, was murdered while on duty in 2020.

He was shot several times with his own gun on June 17th, 2020, in Castlerea, Co Roscommon.

Labour TD Alan Kelly told the Dail earlier this month that concerns had been raised around “dangerously defective leather pistol holsters”.

In an separate incident, Mr Kelly said an accidental discharge of an official-issued garda firearm occurred outside the Israeli Embassy on June 11th, 2020, just under a week before Mr Horkan’s death.

The discharged resulted in life-changing injuries to the garda.

Mr Kelly said forensic experts attached to the Garda National Technical Bureau (GNTB) discovered that the holster could engage the trigger and “fire the weapon of its own accord”.

He added: “The holster was so poorly designed, the firearm could be removed from the holster with so-called retention strap fully fastened.

“This left the gun open to removal by individuals other than the Garda member carrying the firearm.

“This critical health and safety risk later became the subject of a warning notice from the acting head of the Garda National Technical Bureau, given the very real concerns for the safety of Garda members.

“Unfortunately, approximately one week later, on the night of 17 June 2020, the late Detective Garda Colm Horkan was murdered with his own official Garda firearm following an engagement with a now convicted murderer, Stephen Silver.

“There is no doubt Stephen Silver was the person who ultimately murdered Detective Garda Horkan.

“I am now aware, however, that the late detective was wearing one of the defective leather pistol holsters procured from the same equine saddlery in Kildare.

“Given what was known about the leather pistol holster removed from the scene of the accidental discharge on 11 June, a week earlier, the question must be asked whether the defective holster should have been investigated for that incident as well.”

Mr Kelly said Mr Horkan’s holster was never presented to the Garda National Technical Bureau for ballistic examination.

“Why was Detective Garda Horkan’s holster not examined by a professional person qualified in the area under the standards required?”

He added: “Why was there a second report requested into the original incident outside the Israeli Embassy, which, amazingly, contradicted the first report saying the holster was defective?

“Why did the Garda Commissioner not issue a section 41 to notify the Minister of the issues regarding the holsters following two incidents, especially after notices had been put on Garda internal systems?

“Why did GSOC stop investigating a protected disclosure made in 2019 by someone working in firearms who had concerns regarding the holster? Is the Minister aware it was because of the non-compliance of the Commissioner following a level 4 request?”

During the same debate in the Dail, Mr Kelly also raised issues around eight kilogrammes of pure cocaine which been found in a locker in the basement of Garda HQ.

He said the cocaine had been mistakenly dumped by Forensic Science Ireland, an agency within the Department of Justice.

Mr Kelly further highlighted a picture of 392 abandoned firearms left in a container inside Garda HQ, the majority of which the Labour TD said had no documentation.

Asked about the matters on Tuesday, Mr O’Callaghan said: “After Deputy Kelly raised those issues in the Dail, I had a meeting with the Garda Commissioner the very next day. I raised the issues with the Commissioner.

“The Commissioner gave me responses, I’m not going to give those responses publicly now.

“I also had the privilege of meeting the family of Colm Horkan to discuss some of the issues, and those issues are being considered.

“My priority in all of this is the family of Colm Horkan and to ensure that the conviction that was achieved remains upheld.”

Silver, of Aughavard, Foxford, Co Mayo, was found guilty of the capital murder of Mr Horkan.

He was sentenced to life in prison after being found guilty by a jury at the Central Criminal Court in Dublin after a six-week trial.