By Michael Smith
published in partnership with the Ditch
A former garda who was accused by his wife of serious domestic abuse and of holding a gun to her head at their family home in Donegal was awarded a Scott Medal at a ceremony attended by then acting justice minister and presidential candidate, Heather Humphreys, in September 2021.
Former Detective Garda Noel McMahon resigned from the Garda in 2004 after the Morris Tribunal found that he was involved in planting “hoax bombs” and ammunition across the North-West in the early 1990s He and a senior Garda colleague then claimed these as IRA explosives-finds to advance their careers.
McMahon purchased illicit drugs which were then placed in the premises of publican Frank Shortt in Quigley’s Point, in County Donegal in October 1994 before a large force of gardaí raided the nightclub. Shortt was charged with allowing his premises to be used for the sale of illegal drugs and, in 1995, was wrongly imprisoned for three years. He later obtained a miscarriage-of-justice certificate and substantial damages from the State.
Judge Freddie Morris found that Noel McMahon had lied during his evidence to the tribunal. McMahon faced dismissal from the Garda before he resigned in July, 2004. At the Morris Tribunal hearings, Sheenagh McMahon described how she was subjected to serious abuse by her garda husband who threatened her with his official firearm at their home in Buncrana in 1995.
“He put a gun to my head and he told me he would blow my brains out,” she told the Morris tribunal in March 2003 as she recounted the years of abuse she suffered at the hands of her husband.
She said that she was wrongfully arrested after Noel McMahon produced a false court Safety Order made against her in 1999 and that her children were placed in care as a result of his actions. She later regained custody of her children and obtained an apology and damages from the State in 2018 over her wrongful arrest.
In the apology, lawyers for the State, the Garda, the Minister for Justice and Noel McMahon said in open court that:
“The Defendants concede liability on the basis that they accept that the Plaintiff was wrongfully arrested and detained on 30th June, 1999 by reason of the arresting Garda executing a Safety Order produced by the Plaintiff’s husband which in fact had never been issued by the District Court”.
Ms McMahon was awarded €20,000 in damages. She refused an offer of an additional €5000 if she would agree to the apology not being read out in court.
In its final report, the Morris Tribunal stated that Noel McMahon had threatened a garda colleague with a loaded gun in Buncrana garda station in 1992 and that “nothing was ever done about this incident”.
In September 2021, Heather Humphreys, acting Minister for Justice, attended the ceremony during which serving and retired members, including McMahon, were awarded the Scott Medal for bravery during the rescue of businessman, Don Tidey in 1983, after his kidnapping by members of the IRA.
Ms Humphreys and Commissioner Drew Harris, with Noel McMahon standing between them, were photographed along with other recipients of the award.
The former minister and Fine Gael presidential candidate told those present: “Your actions on that day were truly heroic. You performed your duty as garda members and for that we are thankful. You are honoured with this exceptional award”.
