A Right Royal Dressing Gown

at

falcoJoe-Duffy-Main

 

This afternoon

A fuming Joe Duffy (centre) challenges unruffled Rio Police commissioner [a commissioner is the second-in-command of a civil police division in Brazil] Aloysio Falcão (top) about the filming of the arrest of “distressed 71-year-old” Pat Hickey among other gripes on RTÉ Radio One’s Liveline.

Grab a tay.

Joe Duffy: “Commissioner Aloysio Falcão of the Rio de Janeiro police and one of the lead investigators in this case, good afternoon.”

Aloysio Falcão: “Good afternoon, how are you?”

Duffy: “Good, thank you and I hope you are aware also, are you aware Commissioner, that in Ireland this has been the biggest story in the last 10 days?”

Falcão: “Yeah Yeah we knew.”

Duffy: Why did you decide to film the arrest of Pat Hickey.

Falcão: “Because we knew that Pat Hickey was the guy who [unintelligible]

Duffy: “Okay Commissioner, that’s all fine but in Ireland that’s not a crime, it’s not a crime and it’s not a crime for Pat Hickey to be in communication with Marcus Evans, it’s not a crime why did you decide to film to video to bring along a cameraman to film Pat Hickey in the middle of the night, a 71 year old man obviously in distress why did you decide to  film and release that video?”

Falcão: “In Brazil, ticket touting is a crime, you know.  It’s a serious crime, I had to respect…”

Duffy: Of course it’s a crime in Brazil, It’s not a crime in Ireland, but some people believe it should be a crime in Ireland.  But why did you film the arrest of Pat Hickey?”

Falcão: “I did the arrest because I had to respect the law.”

Duffy: “Is every arrest in Brazil filmed?”

Falcão: “No, but…”

Duffy: “So why did you film this man being arrested?”

Falcão: “I had to do what the judge said on the warrant.  When I arrested him I  sent him to the hospital to check everything out, he spent in the hospital one day…”

Duffy: “I understand and very good, very good, very good, that’s important.  Why did you decide and who filmed this man in distress in his bedroom?”

Falcão: “Because he was in the hotel, in his bedroom, you know we had judge warrant, we had to do it.  And he wasn’t in his room, his wife was in his room, his wife, he was in a different room from his wife.  His wife told the police he went back to Ireland you know.”

Duffy: “Hmm well as I said last week when all of this was happening, there might have been a misunderstanding.  It is a different language.  Are you saying the Judge ordered the arrest of Pat Hickey being filmed.”

Falcão: “Yeah, yeah he did.”

Duffy: “So are you saying the judge said I want to see video and film evidence I want to see the film, the movie of this man being arrested.”

Falcão: “Not the judge’s order, it’s like the media.  We didn’t authorise the media, you know.”

Duffy: “And Commissioner, where does the investigation stand now.  Is there any possibility that Pat Hickey who, as you know is a 71 year old man, you know and you had to call the doctor, that  Hickey could be released on bail and out of that prison.”

Falcão: “Yeah, we have a kind of domiciliary prison where the guy is older than 80 or is in bad health, his lawyers are trying to get this kind of prison for him to be in.”

Duffy: “So can I ask you, Commissioner, on behalf of the Rio de Janeiro police, would you object if the judge said you can release this man from prison and put him under as you say domiciliary containment, would you object Commissioner?”

Falcão: “No.”

Duffy: “So you would be in favour of Pat Hickey being released  from prison once he does not leave Rio, is that correct?”

Falcão: “Sure.  The Brazilian system is not unfair [unintelligible].  I’m going to talk to the judge today.”

Duffy: “So you’re going to talk to the judge today to say you have no objection to Pat Hickey being released.  Have you any objection to him leaving Brazil?”

Falcão: “Yeah. He has to stay in Brazil because he has more questions about more people who are being arrested… he can be in domiciliary jail but it’s the judge’s decision, I can’t decide that, you know.”

Duffy: “But can you – is it within your power to say to the judge we will allow Pat Hickey to hold in a hotel in Rio so long as we have his passport and he cannot leave Brazil, is that your opinion?”

Falcão: “I have the power to talk to the judge but not to release him from jail.”

Duffy: “Yes but once he stays in Brazil.”

Falcão: “Yeah but we don’t have this power you know, it’s the judge’s decision.

Duffy: “But approximately Commissioner when do you hope to hand the file to the judge and say we’ve done all our investigations now you decide when is that a week a month, how long ?”

Falcão: “I can’t tell you, maybe between 1 and 3 months, between 1 and 3 months, I hope so you know.”

Duffy: “So if Mr Hickey –  which he vehemently asserts, as does Mr Mallon, that they were innocent, you’re saying well we will not have a decision on that from the Brazilian system for up to 3 months?”

Falcão: “If they are innocent for sure we have a decision, the Brazilian court, it’s Brazilian law I don’t know how it works in Ireland but we have to make sure that people don’t run away from the country otherwise it’s going to be impossible to inquire them.”

Duffy: “Have you asked Interpol to help?”

Falcão: “Yeah, for sure.  I am in contact with the Interpol the Interpol is going to help the Brazilian police.”

Duffy: “And what country are Interpol going to ask to assist?”

Falcão: “Interpol is based in France.

Duffy: “Yes, I know that, it’s based in Lyon but are you saying to Interpol, can you get information from Ireland?”

Falcão: “I can’t tell you about the information but what I can tell you is that I made contact with Interpol they are helping the Brazilian police.”

Duffy: “Have you had any representations from the Irish government?”

Falcão: “No.  That’s why I also want to get some help from the media because we need some help from the government.  I know Shane Ross had a meeting but he has left.  I also want to know about the government position, what they are doing you know.  Our police can be helped by your government.  We can trade information about this scandal.”

Duffy: “But have you contacted the Irish government via our embassy?”

Falcão: “Not yet.”

Duffy: “But you’re saying you want to speak to Shane Ross and also the Irish Government.  Do you want to speak to the Irish police?”

Falcão: “Yes.  It would be great for the enquiry because more information is much better, it’s more fair for the process, we don’t want to be unfair, I have to know what happened with the government in Ireland and also the government, they will want to know what happened in Brazil.”

Duffy: “Well, Commissioner, a number of politicians in Ireland, some in opposition, some in Government, Minister Simon Coveney, Shane Ross made a reference to it as well, as the leader of the Labour Party said this is not the way we do things in Ireland, I’m quoting a onetime leader of the Labour Party, can you understand that the arrest of this man, the filming of the arrest the immediate removal, okay you took him to a hospital, and his incarceration in prison, to some people in Ireland to a lot of people I think in fairness they don’t think that is very fair.”

Falcão: “I know.  What I can tell you is that the police treated him very well.  We left him in the hospital for one day, he then went to the prison when the doctor examined him met him and said well now he’s okay… I talked to him and his lawyer always, always you know.”

Duffy: “You know this cocktail party, this sting operation where you sent undercover policeman to this cocktail party does that mean you have been on, when did this case open, did it open when the Olympics started or had it started a few years ago, how long have you been on this case?”

Falcão: “We had a lot of investigation at 2014 at the World Cup football, we arrested a director of THG and we know that THG was trying to get credentials for the Games, that’s why we started the investigation. Two years ago.”

Duffy: “You were watching THG before the Olympics.  Before they arrived, were you aware of the arrival of the Irish Olympic Committee, were you suspicious of a connection then.

Falcão: “The Olympic Irish Council was suspected when we found maybe 800 tickets and all those tickets were designated for the Irish Olympic contingent.”

Duffy: “So is it fair to say that before then, Pat Hickey and indeed Kevin Mallon  and indeed other people whom you now want their passports, you were not suspicious of them you were not suspicious of them, you only became suspicious of them when you found those tickets at this cocktail party for instance.  Before they arrived in Rio you were not suspicious of them.  You only became interested in them when you found the tickets at this cocktail party. All the tickets you found were only from the Irish Olympic Council?

Falcão: “ Only Irish.”

Duffy: “Whey did you put Pat Hickey’s boarding card and his accreditation, why did you put them  on your table for those photographs you were at?”

Falcão: “I didn’t put them on my table.”

Duffy: Ah now no hang on hang on the media didn’t have his passport why did you put his passport on the table

Falcão: “We confiscated it.”

Duffy: Oh what you have okay okay, that’s the way in Brazil, okay. And did Pat Hickey have a second passport?”

Falcão: “He had a second passport he gave to the police, yes.”

Duffy: “And is the second passport Irish?”

Falcão: “Yeah, I think so.”

Duffy: “But you can’t have two passports.  And both passports were valid?”

Falcão: “Yeah, yeah, I think because he travels a lot he has a second passport.”

Duffy: “A spare one. But you’re adamant It wasn’t a false passport, it was a spare passport.”

Falcão: “It’s original, it’s a true passport.”

Duffy: “But there’s nothing wrong with that is there?”

Falcão: “Nothing wrong.”

Duffy: “Okay Commissioner thank you for your time.”

Falcão: “Okay thank you I appreciate that also.  Sorry for the question I didn’t answer.  It’s difficult to talk over the phone.  I’m not good at the language.”

Duffy: “But given that you raised the question you didn’t answer, do you regret, are you sorry that you let the cameras in to a 71 year old man in distress?

Falcão: “No, I didn’t authorise that, I didn’t.  It was a problem with the hotel security.”

Duffy: “And also, do you carry a gun?”

Falcão: “ I can tell you, I didn’t like what happened.”

Duffy: “Well then why didn’t you tell the media, you have a gun on you in the photographs, why didn’t you tell the media to get lost.”

Falcão: “The media were there, a lot of television, they saw the police coming in, they entered in the hotel, security people didn’t stop them, when Pat Hickey was arrested we didn’t put anything on the internet, we went out through the basement because of the media, I authorised this, he asked me can I go out through the basement because of the media and I said, sure, yes.”

Duffy: “And you’re saying Pat Hickey requested that he be taken out of the hotel privately?”

Falcão: “Yes, the basement, I authorised that.”

Duffy: “Commissioner Falcão, lead investigator with the Rio police, thank you.

Fair and balanced?

Or police brutality?

Only you can decide.

BrazilianVoices/Rollingnews

Earlier: Dan Boyle on Thursday

Previously: RTÉ Is Ireland’s Biggest Problem

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87 thoughts on “A Right Royal Dressing Gown

    1. louislefronde

      When I hear the commentators on the Joe Duffy show, I have to remind myself that 80% of the population over 60 left school at 14!

      Unfortunately, that’s the demographic that votes and the deadweight that continues to vote for Fianna Fail, Fine Gael etc…

      Did I mention, they’re selfish gits as well…..

    2. Dol

      Joe Duffy .Who is he to question a police commissioner from another country. When they have every right to arrest an alleged crook from Ireland. And the rest of his colleagues that were involved as well. Good on Brazil for catching up with them. Age or no age he knew what he was doing. But no doubt the crooked irish government wil step in and rescue there bunch of crooks . X

  1. Pablo Pistachio

    The old boys network coming out to bat for poor Pat over the past few days. I hope someone is making it worth their while.

  2. Brother Barnabas

    That’s our public service broadcaster’s idea of providing a service to us? (a service we’re obliged to purchase whether we want to or not)

    Now it’s becoming an embarrassment alright.

      1. Tony Hall

        You have to pay a licence if you have any device capable of receiving RTE’s guff. So unless you are posting this via a headless browser, then pay up your €160 tithe for fat Joe.

        1. ironcorona

          Only devices capable of receiving a television signal.

          Internet doesn’t count and my monitor and phone aren’t capable of receiving a television signal.

      2. Brother Barnabas

        No, I don’t have to – but I want to; just not to watch any RTE sh1te. Same as I want to have a fridge in my kitchen, but don’t have to pay an annual fee to Tesco for the privilege.

        1. ironcorona

          Could I suggest not paying and hiding from the inspectors when they call around?

          I find cowering behind the couch works pretty well.

  3. Drogg

    If you are arresting someone famous for massive amounts of litigation you film the arrest to show it was all above board, end of story. Joe needs to pull his finger out, stop defending alleged criminals and earn his tax paid wages by going out and attacking single mothers or the unemployed on his show like a good little lap dog.

    1. anyourpointiswhatexactly?

      You film it, yes. But do you immediately release it? I’m guessing that’s where the problem lies.
      I’m not in any way defending Hickey: I hope he rots in jail.

      1. Drogg

        Of course you release it, Brazil is not Ireland and they have a much firmer hand when dealing with serious crime, releasing that footage not only weakens their opponents image but shows his arrest was legitimate to the rest of the world especially during the olympics.

        1. Blonto

          How dare they do things differently in another country. Doesn’t he know how we do things here?
          And how dare he not understand Joe’s salt-of-the-earth, 110% genuine, real deal, true blue Dub-er-ling accent.
          And hurry up answering the questions. And you’ll be interrupted if you give a reasonable answer. Just play the part of the baddie from spaghetti westerns.

          1. Ah Jayzus

            Spot on Blonto….they older I get I am realising what kind of country we really live in…..lovely to look at, good people (Mostly) but we are actually rotten to the core…from the top to the bottom…everybody is on some kind of scam. Without sounding like Jim Corr or tin foil hat brigade…RTE actually do have an agenda, they are directed by the powerful in this country (O’Brien) aside, but they are trying to get him back on side. But the way Duffy conducted that interview is appalling….when Hickey’s wife lied and said he had left the country…I mean WHAT!…how is that misunderstanding and not understanding the language…watch the video…all perfectly good english and what what did she think the Police officer asked that would make her say that her Husband had left the country……but no, Duffy batted this aside and kept to his agenda of demanding Hickey’s release, even top a hotel. I wonder if I was arrested for touting in Brazil and waiting 3 months for my hearing/trial, would Joe be on air demanding my release….ye, not a hope. This is just a perfect example of our country, our ministers are setting up ANOTHER inquiry….Jesus….and the police in another country actually enforce the law……just make ya despair really.

  4. Friscondo

    Jesus, Duffy is some clown. Shows exactly how the establishment operates in this country. Also listening to him say “fillum” at intervals over 17 minutes drove me to distraction.

  5. Clampers Outside!

    There are people making comparisons to Paul Murphy’s arrest…… ’em….. if I recall correctly, all the filming of Paul Murphy’s arrest was by his own people and not official news or Garda TV crews….

    I’d just like to make that wee point on it.

    1. Harry Molloy

      A very relevant point. Should his arrest have appeared on RTE news people would have been up in arms, and rightly so.

  6. forfeckssake

    He also spent a long section of the show praising Mrs Brown’s Boys and expressing outrage at newspaper criticism of the show. He said Brendan O’Carroll has done as much for Ireland as Robbie Keane and we owe him a lot for his contribution to culture.

  7. Junkface

    “And who decised to Fillum the arrest?…..what about de fillum, de fillum?” Jesus Christ his pronunciation drives me nuts. He’s putting it on the accent at this stage. How long is he working in RTE?

    I’m glad they filmed him getting arrested, I’m very happy that he was humiliated. I’m sure he has humiliated many athletes/investigators over the years. He was arrested in Brazil and now hopefully he will be jailed in Brazil.

    Thank you Brazil!

    1. Rugbyfan

      They should have one of the rte crews fillum it. Christ knows there were enough of the fcukers out there to cover the limpiks!

    2. Iron Mike

      Exactly. Having filmed footage is to the benefit of everyone. There’s no chance of foul-play from either side with it

  8. Toe up

    Let me ask you commissioner, do you have any objection to all charges against Pat Hickey being dropped and for him to continuing his previous behaviour without any legal consequences?

    1. Manolo

      He is not a commissioner as you would know in the US or Ireland, but it still a senior position. The guy is 29 years old, studied law, has a post grad in penal law and is a law professor. All senior police positions in the Brazilian civil police require at least a college degree. Keep in mind also that he would have expressed himself better if the interview was carried out in Portuguese.

  9. Jake38

    Joe Duffy is a bottom feeder. Straight from the students union to the lowest rung of mediocrity in RTE.

    Unfortunately, he’ll be there until he’s 786 years old, like Gay “mammy” Byrne and Marion “wheezzer” Finnucane. God help us.

  10. Peter

    Joe makes a fair point, this is not how these situations are handled in Ireland and the Brazilians have it backwards. The correct SOP for a corruption case should have been

    1) An arrest is made without anyone knowing, months after the original suspicion
    2) The suspect is brought to a Garda station, allowed tea and refreshments and the ability to give no information.
    3) Despite overwhelming evidence the suspect is then released and allowed to go home, back to their relative life of luxury. One or two photos of them leaving the station and getting into a car are allowed
    4) Flip all is done for a very long time. This is commonly referred to as ‘A file is being prepared for the DPP’.
    5) The odd scathing article is written, it’s often clever writing and gets your ma riled up, but then she moves on to the Property supplement. The odd Joe Duffy segment is dedicated to outrage, followed by a segment on online scams. And we all realize we are benign, and die a little more inside.
    6) The court date gets moved, removed, moved and then delayed. When the suspect finally makes it in front of a judge their lawyers ask for an extension to prepare more smoke and mirrors. This is granted
    7) Final court date, nothing done, slap on the wrists. Statement by defense lawyers outside courthouse thanking people for their support and saying his client would like everyone to respect his privacy as it’s been a very difficult time for them and their family.
    8) Rinse…and repeat.

    1. phil

      You forgot the character references, various taking heads will state , he is a nice fella, great golfer , then someone will suggest the problem could be systemic , thats damm gree jersey, you see it was all done in good faith and for no personal gain ….

  11. CousinJack

    Its lucky that other countries take corruption seriously.
    Brazil for the OCI and USA for corporate malfeasance and tax evasion

  12. some old queen

    Joe Duffy Show:

    We look forward to your program on whether Ireland or Brazil has the best fraud laws pertaining to ticket sales. For balance in an equally harassing manner obviously.

    Cheers lads.

  13. Ford Gandhi

    I’m utterly sure there was an aggrieved party behind this. Someone who’s toes Pat Hickey trod on in the past, and someone who could wait until all the ducks were in a row for an act of revenge resulting in a well-deserved public humiliation.
    Someone with the means and influence to make it happen.
    There are a lot of Hickey-phobes, but the ones with the clout are far fewer in number.

  14. Paddy

    Can we have an interview, say run by Eamonn Dunphy, of Joe Duffy as to why he devoted an hour long show last week to another of his clique – Dickie Rock. Who nobody I know gives a hoot about, or even knows.

      1. Paddy

        Ah sure there’s a crowd of them touring the country every so often with their funny Friday – acknowledging the plebs with little waves, small talk, and faux ‘well met’ bull.

      2. missred

        Oh god, and Brush Shields. Where they all cackle and guffaw at each other’s jokes. And some fella who they call up pretending he’s Billy Connolly. My ears!

  15. veritas

    Does anyone believe that Duffy believes a word that comes out of his big gob or does he just say whatever he thinks the majority of his listeners will agree with or will generate the biggest reaction.

  16. M

    If this was the Journal.ie then about 70% of the comments critical of RTE would be deleted already.

  17. Kdoc1

    Will someone tell Joe that it happens here sometimes. Who arranged for the press to be present at the time Brian McMahon was arrested for Mary Boyle’s disappearance?

  18. realPolithicks

    I find it comical that you removed my comment on Duffy being afraid of the “perp” walk. What are YOU afraid of?

  19. Spike Jones

    Between the Irish IOC and FAI President’s being arrested for this, what a mess. I bet no Garda in 20 years would dare arrest these guys. 1 week in Brazil and both get caught. I say, get a plane load of these guys over from Rio and let them lose.
    There’s plenty of guys here who can be arrested and deserve it. Should move Templemore over to Rio?

  20. Kerri Ann

    “Well then why didn’t you tell the media – you have a gun on you in the photographs – why didn’t you tell the media to get lost?”

    Good man, Joe. Cops should pull a gun on journalists covering an arrest. That will end the scourge of nudey codgers.

  21. rotide

    I can’t believe no one has gotten the irony of the broadsheet comments section complaining about the Joe Duffy Show.

  22. Ivor

    Lot’s of presenters in RTE seem concerned about trial by media in Brazil. And yet, they continue to use code phrases – sometimes inaccurately – about Irish people being “known” to the Gardai.

    Oddly they seem less concerned about Gardai arresting and handcuffing Claire Daly – subsequently found innocent – than Pat Hickey. There’s nothing wrong with how Duffy questioned the above policeman or how they are questioning the rightness of how he is being treated, it’s just a pity they don’t take a similar approach when questioning Irish Gardai.

  23. The Real Jane

    Well I agree with Joe’s perspective. It’s an outrage that an Irish person was arrested abroad. Irish people can only be arrested in Ireland for things that are crimes in Ireland. So if you do something that is a crime in a mickey mouse jurisdiction where they don’t know how to decide what are proper crimes like we do in Ireland, you should be allowed home tout suite.

    Irish law covers all the biggies – murder and suchlike – so there’s no need for this harassment of a wealthy man in the November of life who may have committed a Brazilian crime but not a real crime.

  24. Cup of Tea anyone

    Ibraham Halawa has been in prison in Egypt for the last 3 years without a trial and noone seems to give a fupp. Pat Hickey has been arrested less then a week and its all over RTE.

    I suppose though Pat is a good lad. Great for a few tickets. what has Ibraham ever done for anyone.

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