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Identity

Murder, Fraud and the Making of a Garda Forensic Expert

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About this listen

 When a violent incident in his stationed town led John Sweetman into the Garda Technical Bureau with incriminating evidence, the course of his life changed dramatically. As a young garda struggling with personal demons, he went from being on verge of leaving the force to finding his true calling.

John spent the next 25 years as a detective garda working on the frontline of crime scene investigations - as both a fingerprint expert and, in later years, a forensic handwriting and document expert. His natural eye for detail and tenacity led him to becoming involved in many criminal investigations and high-profile cases.

From the brutal murder of Marie Dillon in Finglas in 1998 to the gangland killing of Raymond Salinger in 2003, John was involved in the search for forensic evidence at these, and numerous other, crime scenes. He later employed his handwriting expertise in the investigation of fraudulence, threatening letters and counterfeit documents, as well as the investigations into the callous murders of Jasmine McGonagle and student Jastine Valdez and the horrific Hawe familicide in Cavan in 2016.

Identity is both a fascinating insight into specialist forensic fields - that peeks behind the curtain of how crimes are solved - and a bravely told story of a misfit detective in a remarkable career.©2024 John Sweetman Crime Murder True Crime Forensics

Critic reviews

Unpretentious but consistently eye-opening book about ... life as a garda forensic expert
Sweetman acknowledges the good and bad sides of law enforcement, in what is an insightful and not entirely complimentary glimpse inside our national police force
All stars
Most relevant
I really enjoyed this book .
Both its easy style on a difficult subject and its well written prose .
I d highly recommend it

Fantastic book

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It is too often that the best of the best are NOT the leaders or prized by the employers. I relate to much of his journey in a variety of ways and, well, all I can say is 'I get it'! Do as you are by filling your days with what you enjoy, continue to meditate and understand yourself as you accept and appreciate the very accomplished and wonderful human you are!

Enjoyable and informative...

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Every part from the first few pages I was hooked, fantastic read , would highly recommend

The honesty of the author

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Really enjoyed this account of John’s career in the police and I wish him all the very best 👍👮🏻‍♂️

Excellent, more then a few interesting stories there

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I’m almost sorry I listened to this but , as an Irish nurse of 31 years experience, I can relate to the lunacy. From the drink soaked nineties to the unworkable protocols, the impossibility of transfer/ promotion without the right contacts, incompatible IT systems and the abandonment of common sense my own journey has paralleled Johns. My own battles with depression throughout my service have mirrored Johns and the slow realisation that the organisation I work for couldn’t give a sh… about those who provide the services they exist to provide is now my reality.
The HSE /An Garda Siochaina are a mess. God help us all.

The stupidity

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