This article is from page 12 of the 2006-02-28 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 12 JPG
PAT Keating (33), a native of Kilbaha in west Clare, and a garda for 10 years, said the allegations made by his former girlfriend Eavan Drysdale had shattered his career and his life.
He said her allegations were ‘lies’. He had been suspended since they were made in August 2004.
“She made a promise, going back to day one, that she was going to destroy me. Regardless of what happens here in court today, or any day, my career is in ruins. My life is in ruins. She has been successful,” he said.
The separated father-of-one said the break-up of his nine-month relationship with Ms Drysdale in March 2004 had a devastating effect on him.
He first met her on June 21, 2003 when she reported a stolen bicycle at Shannon Garda Station.
He said he met her again in a supermarket the same afternoon and that evening she rang him to ask him out.
The romance moved along at a fast past and he said Eavan presented him with a key to her house for his birthday, just weeks later — a claim denied by her.
Gda Keating said some time later the relationship took a downhill turn. As a result, he cheated on her, something he was deeply ashamed of.
This led them to break up temporarily in December 2003. They got back together and broke up again the following March.
He said following the break-up, Eavan initiated contact with him on several occasions, some of which were in the middle of the night.
He said her calls ranged from abusive to nice. He claimed she called him various names including “psycho freak of nature”, “truly horrible person” and “bad man”, in text messages. Another message suggested there were “crazy voices” inside his head.
After the break-up, he was at “rock bottom” and could not sleep. At one stage, he did not eat for 13 days.
He attended St John of Gods hospital in Dublin under a consultant psychiatrist.
Referring to the date of the alleged incident for which he is on trial, he said he received a blank text from Eavan late on August 17.
He tried to ring her and texted her back a few times.
He said they had a telephone conversation, during which she was “completely wound up”. He denied making any threat to her.
“Under no circumstances would I say that. I wouldn’t even think of the name Geraldine Kissane (a woman who was shot dead by her ex-boyfriend in Shannon, before he shot himself in October 2001). . . I have never threatened Eavan,” he said.
“Since August the 18th, I feel I have been set up.
“I never lost faith in the relationship up to then,” he said.
Asked how he feels about the complainant now, he replied, “I don’t feel anything for her now.”