The old saying goes: Keep your friends close and your enemies closer, so while it sounds ludicrous in theory for a criminal to cosy up to law enforcement, it is in fact a tried and tested routine.
The likes of serial killer Edmund Kemper used to spend his free time shooting the breeze with officers down his local bar.
Not only does this give a criminal inside information and tips on how to better their skillset, but it helps them foster a public persona as a law abiding concerned citizen.
What has this got to do with RTÉ Documentary On One's latest podcast, Pirate Predator, you ask? Well, convicted sex offender Eamon Cooke liked to moonlight as a wannabe caped crusader before becoming an illegal pirate radio host and being outed as one of the country’s most prolific child sex abusers, often compared to the likes of UK paedophile Jimmy Savile.
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Listen to the latest episode of Pirate Predator
If the name or crimes of Cooke are news to you, then I strongly advise you to catch up on episode one of the podcast before reading onwards…
And remember, this is a live investigation, so we want your help. If you have any information about Eamon Cooke, email documentaries@rte.ie, or you can leave an anonymous tip here
Warning: this episode and article contains references to child sexual abuse.
Alpha 7
Before his days running Radio Dublin, Cooke had another interest - late night sleuthing. In the early 1970’s he would listen to a police radio and turn up at crime scenes at all hours of the night, often even before the gardaí arrived.
You’d assume the authorities would find this a nuisance and tell this man with zero policing experience cruising around in his old jaguar with a bizarre knowledge of local crime, to take a hike, right? Wrong.
Instead Cooke and the guards formed an unlikely alliance, in the space of five years he rescued officers from being attacked, helped people escape muggers and engaged in numerous roof top chases against housebreakers.
To make matters weirder and even more questionable on the part of An Garda Síochána, Cooke was sometimes paid by the authorities for his help, but to learn more about that insane story you have to hit play above.
The question is how did the gardaí have no idea that their civilian aid was a seasoned criminal with a record for violence, theft and firearm offences (see episode one for details) who destroyed the lives of countless children?
I actually found Eamon Cooke to be like a character from a Batman movie. He reminded me of a child who never grew up
- Don Moore AKA Dr Don
The Upstairs Bedroom
While at night Cooke was patrolling the streets, crafting an image as a local protector, by day he was luring local children into his garage, slowly weaselling his way into their lives.
Two of Cooke’s victims, Siobhan and Anne, give detailed, heartwrenching accounts of the abuse they suffered as children in Inchicore helping out at Radio Dublin.
Their interviews offer harrowing insight into just how calculated and gradual Cooke's grooming process was, from letting local children explore his garage, to reaching underneath their clothes, to screening home videos for them in a bedroom, to eventually exposing himself to them on a regular basis.
But by this time, he had already built up a rapport with these vulnerable children over several months.
And then one day he just exposed himself. We kind of got a bit of a fright until he explained it’s just another part of your body like your arm or your leg or your ears. And then we just got used to seeing that too. So it was a very gradual experience
- Siobhan, survivor
Joan
All this abuse took place in Cooke’s two-bed suburban home in Inchicore, a home he shared with his wife Helena until her sudden death, which episode one delved deeper into, but by the time he started inviting neighbourhood children inside, he had married his second wife Joan.
Now, there’s no evidence that Joan knew about her husband's heinous acts of abuse; in fact, Siobhan told the podcast that Joan was kind but "sad looking" and rarely was home when the children were there.
If anything, Joan appears to be yet another victim of Cooke’s manipulation.
He would tell the children that his wife had gone away for the weekend, but they discovered years later that he would institutionalise her and claim she was sick or drinking.
With his wife tucked away, Cooke was free to abuse children; he even had some older children stay overnight.
I remember saying, my dad doesn't be like this. My dad doesn't touch me like this. And that's when I started to get a sense of awareness. But still I didn't say anything
- Siobhan, survivor
The 'Captain’s’ Takeover
By the time Cooke started to gain an interest in pirate radio, he had already abused multiple children, but this newfound hobby would give him unrivalled access to children from Inchicore and beyond.
But the question is, how did this shabby, crass man who stank of cigarettes acquire the leading pirate radio station in Dublin? Well, he didn’t; he stole it right from under the rightful owner, Don Moore, known as Dr Don on air.
Cooke started helping Mr Moore with technical support for the station, watching as the broadcaster went from strength to strength, making Mr Moore a kind of local celebrity, until one day Cooke decided to use his knowledge of electronics to literally take the Dr off the air.
According to Mr Moore, Cooke asked to do a transmitter adjustment; in the meantime, he was secretly making another transmitter.
So, when Mr Moore went to switch on to broadcast, he found dead air, with Cooke appearing on the same frequency to announce that "Dr Don has retired."
And that’s how Cooke stole Radio Dublin, and would go on to make it the country’s first 24/7 broadcaster.
But not before Mr Moore confronted him about his coup, but for more on that, I advise you to hit play as Mr Moore tells the story far better than I can put into words.
Cooke not only had a radio station, but he also had the ultimate excuse to invite eager young children into his home at all hours of the day…
Eamon Cooke was very good at pairing up children. I'm not sure why, whether it was to create a second level of fear, because any fear he would give to us individually, we would then share it together as well. We would be worried together, if you like, strengthening it
- Anne, survivor
You can stream Pirate Predator anywhere you get podcasts, episodes drop weekly every Monday.
NB: This series features scenes of child sex abuse. If affected by any issues raised, please visit rte.ie/helplines
If you know anything about Eamon Cooke, please contact us in confidence at documentaries@rte.ie or you can leave an anonymous tip here
