Gardai quiz girl (14) on 'screwdriver' murders
Murder victims Pawel Kalite, left (26), and Mariusz Szwajkos (27), who were attack by a screwdriver-wielding gang last week
Related Articles
A young schoolgirl was last night at the centre of a garda investigation into the "screwdriver" murders.
The 14-year-old was arrested by detectives at her home in the Dublin southside suburb of Crumlin and questioned throughout the day in the presence of her parents.
The teenager attends a south city school, has not come to the notice of the gardai previously, and is from a respectable family.
She was arrested by detectives at her home in Crumlin shortly after 7.30am and taken to Sundrive Road station. She was being held late last night under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act.
Her arrest was made amid concerns among officers at the apparent lack of co-operation forthcoming from several youths believed to have been present during the attack on the two Polish workers.
Gardai believe the young girl could have vital information about the fatal stabbings of Pawel Kalite and Mariusz Szwajkos at Benbulben Road, Drimnagh, shortly before 7pm last Saturday week.
Officers have been given conflicting versions of what took place and some further witnesses could be arrested for questioning if they do not co-operate fully with garda inquiries.
Meanwhile, the Archbishop of Dublin, Dr Diarmuid Martin, last night called for an urgent summit of community leaders to tackle the scourge of violence in society.
He was speaking at a prayer service in Drimnagh, in memory of the two Polish men.
The search for the murder weapon, a screwdriver, continued last night as detectives tried to establish whether one or two youths were directly involved in inflicting the fatal wounds.
Detectives have already questioned three prime suspects, aged 15, 17 and 19 years. The three males, who were from Crumlin, Inchicore and Tallaght, were later released without charge. Mr Kalite was struck in the throat and Mr Szwajkos in the side of the head and both died in St James's Hospital after their life-support machines were switched off.
Gardai have yet to locate a number of witnesses who have not yet come forward but were known to have been present at either one or two of the crime scenes.
A file will be completed for the Director of Public Prosecutions, who will determine if criminal charges should be brought.
Gardai said last night they had made substantial progress in their inquiries and were very hopeful that a number of serious charges would be recommended.
Crackdown
Meanwhile, Fine Gael last night called for a six-month garda crackdown on knives and offensive weapons throughout the country.
But the Department of Justice dismissed a claim by the Fine Gael justice spokesman that Operation Anvil was being wound down by the Gardai.
A spokesman for Justice Minister Brian Lenihan pointed out that the garda budget had been increased to €1.6bn and said there would be no let-up in Anvil operations.
He said the gardai were creating an awareness campaign about the use of knives and a special working group had been set up by Commissioner Fachtna Murphy, at the request of the minister, to examine the existing legislation.
But Mr Flanagan said knife crime had risen 300pc in four years and a new generation of gangland criminals and violent thugs, fuelled by drink and drugs, had lost any respect for life, law and order.
The department spokesman said Mr Lenihan intended to introduce new legislation before the summer to tackle binge-drinking as part of his plans to prioritise anti-social behaviour and public order offences.
A special debate on crime will be held in the Dail this evening.
- Tom Brady Security Editor
