An army apprentice who ended his life over 35 years ago was one of more than 50 apprentices who were “treated like dirt” by a particular officer, the Defence Forces Tribunal has heard.

Oliver Mullaney was allegedly repeatedly humiliated and berated in front of other apprentices by the officer — who cannot be named for legal reasons — two days before he died on June 22, 1991.

Fellow apprentice Brian Murphy broke down in tears as he recounted the last days and hours before Mr Mullaney took his own life.

As he began, he turned to one of Mr Mullaney’s sisters in attendance at the tribunal and said: “I just want to say to Oli’s family, I am so sorry.”

After a few minutes struggling to speak, he said that on June 20, 1991, the unnamed officer — known in the tribunal as 2Lt B —had constantly “abused” apprentices.

“We were treated like we were dirt,” he recalled.

He said there was just constant “harassment” that day for everybody but Mr Mullaney had been particularly singled out by 2Lt B. He “had a particular focus on Oli, he slagged him, made various derogatory comments”. Mr Murphy recalled that 2Lt B went “constantly back to Oli”.

Mr Murphy said: “[Mr Mullaney] was extremely upset. He got into bed [that night] and started crying, he cried and he cried and he cried.”

He also recalled how Mr Mullaney then went “very quiet” over the next day and on the day he died. After the events of Thursday — which lawyers have told the tribunal that 2Lt B “vehemently denies” — “he wasn’t his normal self”.

Read full article by Neil Michael at the Irish Examiner website below.

https://www.irishexaminer.com/news/arid-41865945.html

*****