An in-depth investigation into the suicide of a top-ranking officer from the Ballymun Garda station, which occurred over half a decade ago, is anticipated to commence prior to the year concluding. The departed officer, Det Supt Colm Fox, who originally hailed from Malahide in County Dublin, tragically ended his life in his private office space on the 10th of February, 2018. His role as the primary investigator into the 2016 armed assault at the Regency Hotel in the northern part of Dublin was notable.
The aforesaid assault, which contributed to an intensification of the dispute between two organised criminal factions, the Kinahans and the Hutchs, led to the fatality of David Byrne, a member linked to the Kinahan group.
According to a recent session held at the Dublin District Coroner’s Court, a total of 55 witness testimonies connected to the unfortunate death of Det Supt Fox have been assembled and handed over to coroner Dr Myra Cullinane by An Garda Síochána. The investigation is forecasted to continue over a minimum of three days.
Dr Cullinane expressed preliminary notions concerning the inquest, stating focus would be placed on the day of Det Supt Fox’s passing, starting from the early hours extending late into the night. Additionally, aspects explored will include the weeks preceding his death and interactions with fellow officers, provided they hold relevance to the inquest’s hearing. Ongoing probes into his death were also deemed significant by the coroner.
Several family members of the late Det Supt Fox attended court, this included his grieving widow, Edel. A request on behalf of the Fox family was made by their legal representative, Roy O’Neill, for access to testimonies from witnesses compiled in the coroner’s file that they had not yet procured.
In response, Dr Cullinane assured full disclosure of the aforementioned documents to the Fox family, once An Garda Síochána confirmed any file-related privilege claims had been forwarded to her office. Dr Cullinane proposed a tentative date of the 18th of November for the inquest hearing.
The court acknowledged that all associated inquiries into the passing of Det Supt Fox, conducted by both An Garda Síochána and the Health and Safety Authority, have reached a conclusion.
Det Supt Fox’s demise came about during the Special Criminal Court proceedings of Patrick Hutch, the individual alleged of murdering Byrne. Mr Hutch, from Champion’s Avenue in Dublin 1, denied all allegations. The case was halted in February 2019, due to Det Supt Fox’s unexpected death. No one has, thus far, been found guilty of Mr Byrne’s murder.
Fox’s wife undertook legal proceedings through the High Court against the State, citing her spouse’s working conditions and his death as her reasons. It was earlier mentioned by her, that her husband faced intense stress leading up to his death and that he struggled with insomnia.