Friday, January 24, 2014
Theatre
Maith an Colleen
coen, coen... The film brothers with one brain
Druid Theatre’s magic Colleen Bawn production »p19
»p15
Justice, Bieber THE law caught up with pop brat Justin Bieber yesterday when he was hauled into court accused of drag racing and drink-driving. The 19-year-old, who has had a string of scrapes with the authorities but never been prosecuted before, was caught doing 96km/h in a rented Lamborghini in a residential neighbourhood of Miami. He was suspected of racing in a blocked-off street against r’n’b singer Khalil Sharieff, who was at the wheel of a red Ferrari. Bieber, who was said to have drunk beer as well as taking marijuana and prescription drugs, was accused of resisting arrest after he repeatedly swore at the officer
200-plus gardaí ‘wiped points’
by nicole le marie
who pulled him over. His driving licence was also out of date. The teenager was seen grinning in police mugshots but looked fidgety when he appeared by video link in court and reportedly broke down in tears when he returned to his cell after the hearing. Later, after being released on bail, he emerged wearing a black hoodie and sunglasses, waving to waiting cameramen. The Baby singer has been in Florida for the past few days, and hours before his arrest was pictured shirtless in a nightclub. He posted photos on Twitter of
‘Disgust’: Callinan
All smiles: Justin Bieber appears grinning in his police mugshot yesterday PICTURE: AP
the Lamborghini being driven by model Chantel Jeffries. But police pulled him over in a street blocked off with two fourwheel-drive vehicles. The officer said Bieber smelt of alcohol, his eyes were bloodshot and he had ‘a stupor look’ on his face. Police said he failed a sobriety test and ranted: ‘Why the f*** are you doing this?’ Bieber, who shot to global fame after being spotted on YouTube, has had a string of run-ins with the law, including claims of vandalism in Brazil and drugs being found at his California home.
cop insulT p3
More than 200 senior Garda officers ‘inappropriately, and in most cases corruptly’ wiped penalty points from driving licences, new evidence handed to a Dáil watchdog claims. In fresh allegations yesterday, a whistleblower from within the force – a sergeant with 30 years’ experience – also claims his life has been destroyed by the controversy. ‘Having been treated the way I was for reporting the above, I don’t think that I would do it again,’ he wrote to the Dáil’s Public Accounts Committee
« (PAC), which oversees public spending. ‘It destroyed me, my career and my family.’ Despite the completion of two separate inquiries into the controversy, PAC plans to take evidence from two whistleblowers – one serving and one retired – on the claims next week. The move infuriated Garda Commissioner Martin Callinan who yesterday told the PAC it is ‘fundamentally wrong’ and ‘disgusting’ that classified information is being passed to TDs to make
Keep Dublin tidy – Please recycle this Metro Herald when you are finished with it
unsubstantiated claims of wrongdoing. The Commissioner said he plans to take legal advice on what action is open to him ahead of the hearing. He also hinted at possible disciplinary action against the serving officer. ‘Frankly, I think it’s quite disgusting, on a personal level I find it quite disgusting,’ he said. Allegations of wrongdoing by senior gardaí in operating the fixed penalty notice system have already been investigated by the Comptroller and Continued on Page 4