A man who claims he is being subjected to verbal abuse and accusations he was involved in the murder of a pensioner last month has opened up, saying: “I am not a murderer.”
Gary Grace, from Fairview in Dublin, added he wants to clear his name because of what he claims are “Chinese Whispers” doing the rounds in the area where he lives.
Last month gardai launched a murder investigation following the death of a man who was attacked by a gang on Fairview Strand on June 7 at around 11pm.
Charles McCaughley, who was in his 60s, was found unconscious on the ground by locals.
He was rushed to Beaumont Hospital with serious head injuries and remained in a coma before dying on June 16.
Three men, all in their 20s, were arrested and questioned at Raheny Garda station. They were all released without charge and files are being prepared for the Director of Public Prosecutions.
Mr Grace – who was not one of the three who were arrested in relation to the murder investigation – was arrested around the same time as the third man on June 8 in relation to what he claims was an allegation of obstructing gardai executing a search warrant.
In an exclusive interview with The Star, Mr Grace says he “wants to get my name cleared before this all blows up”.
He claims people are accusing him of being a murderer and are saying he was arrested over it. Mr Grace said: “Already I have had about six people shout at me, calling me a “F*****g murderer, and f*****g b*****d. People are afraid of me now.
“My father has heard the whispers too and has been asked am I involved in the murder.
“People are claiming I was arrested over the investigation. But I wasn’t.”
He explained gardai called to his house with a warrant for CCTV in relation to the serious assault on Mr McCaughley.
Mr Grace said: “But the CCTV isn’t at my address. I told them they have the wrong address and after a while I was arrested for the allegation of obstructing the search.
“An hour later the third suspect was arrested for the murder investigation and because people saw me being put into the Garda van they are assuming that’s what I was arrested for too. And that’s when all this verbal abuse and accusations started.
“The three who were arrested are in their 20s. I am 31. I don’t even know who they are. And now people in the area think I have something to do with the murder.
“I was never questioned in relation to the murder. I don’t know why I am being targeted. I am not a murderer and I want to clear my name.”
He added the daily slurs and
accusations are affecting his mental health, saying: “Depression and anxiety is bad. I need to clear my name as I don’t want this all blowing up with it resulting in me being forced out of the area.”
