The Crime I Can't Forget

In Dublin in 1982, it was still illegal to be gay. But when Declan Flynn was brutally killed in a homophobic attack at a local park, the public was outraged.

Communities united in support of the gay community, beginning a decades-long process of social change. Over 40 years later, Declan's death is considered the catalyst of Ireland's Pride movement.

Retired detective inspector Edwin Handcock has never forgotten the case. He recalls every detail of the investigation, including the discovery of the sticks used to beat Declan to death. His inquiry led to the arrest of four men and a14-year-old boy. Their prosecution sparked further anger and controversy when they were handed suspended sentences for manslaughter.

The public took to the streets in protest, with a now-famous march across the city to the site where Declan died.

His siblings, Paul, Gabrielle and Lorraine, now speak emotionally on camera for the very first time about their brother's senseless killing. Local activists and national politicians also share the impact of this attack on their own lives as members of the gay community, and on Irish society as a whole.

In October 2018, a sleepy village in County Antrim is rocked when, in the dead of night, a gang arrives with a stolen digger and rips an ATM from the walls of the local newsagent.

Police are quickly at the scene, where they soon discover that the gang is highly skilled and has left minimal evidence. But this was only the first in a string of ATM heists by the gang, as they continued their work across the county.

As the attacks escalate, specialist detective superintendent Richard Thornton from the Organised Crime Division is appointed to lead the response, and assembles a dedicated team to tackle the sophisticated criminals.

Richard recalls how he and his team spent weeks meticulously analysing the gang's methods to predict their next move, and with the help of experts in surveillance, sought to put an end to the relentless attacks.

Chief superintendent Sue-Ann Steen provides insight into her leadership of the uniformed officers who patrolled the affected communities. Business owner Geoffery McKillop offers a personal account of the damage caused to his café during one of the gang's audacious attacks.

On the night of October 13, 2010, eyewitnesses called 999 when they discovered 18-year-old Niall Dorr lying unconscious on Castle Road in Dundalk, County Louth. He had severe head injuries and was later declared dead at Beaumont Hospital.

Newly-promoted detective inspector Pat Marry is put in charge of the investigation. It's his first case in Dundalk, and his team scour the town for clues, including CCTV footage and forensic evidence. An anonymous tip-off suggests Niall had been assaulted by a notorious local thug. But Pat faces a problem when terrified eyewitnesses refuse to make statements.

Pat is determined to deliver justice and provide closure to Niall's friends and family. So he turns instead to forensic science to catch the killer. He describes how he meticulously built the case, finally relying on a discarded cigarette butt and brand-new DNA techniques to identify Douglas Ward as the killer.

Niall's father Dave Dorr, along with his friends, talk about Niall, the circumstances of his death and the promising life that was tragically cut short.