One of the men on trial for a 1997 raid on the Ardee branch of the Bank of Ireland admitted to gardai he was in the bank that day but said he didn't carry the gun used, his trial has been told. Mr John Martin also allegedly told detectives interviewing him: "I'll get the names of the two police officers who picked me out. We'll sort them out. They won't give evidence."
Det. Garda John Kissane said the accused agreed he was the man in the back of the Toyota Sprinter getaway car after saying that the gardai who purportedly identified him had only got a look at him at speed. He also said bank staff couldn't identify him but wouldn't elaborate when asked to. He said: "I was in the bank. Yes, I was picked out. I'm guilty", but he declined an invitation to sign the interview notes. It was the 10th day of the trial at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court of Mr John Martin (29) and Mr Paul Martin (30), of Kippure Park, Finglas, who deny they were the masked men who stole £132,000 in cash from the Bank of Ireland, Ardee, Co Louth, on November 17th, 1997.
Det. Garda Kissane, of the National Bureau of Criminal Investigation, claimed Mr John Martin said: "I told youse I was in the bank and I'm not going over it again". He would not name who else was involved but said he wasn't the getaway car driver and wasn't the man carrying the gun in the bank. Asked about threats to bank staff, he replied that "bank managers are full of shite, anyway". Det. Garda Kissane said Mr Martin claimed he travelled a lot around the State and said he hadn't been in Ardee for at least three months before the robbery took place. He said he would take his chances with the bank's security video.
When told a balaclava mask had been found in the rear seat of the getaway car, he said the gardai would have to prove that any hair samples recovered from it matched his. He wouldn't say if the gun and money were hidden near the lane-way in which he was arrested.
Det. Garda Kissane told Mr John Phelan SC, defending, he "totally rejected" counsel's suggestion that he was sent to Drogheda to interview the accused because he was "good at extracting statements". He also rejected the suggestion he struck the accused. Mr Phelan said it was strange that his client had made alleged admissions suddenly after refusing over several earlier interviews to answer questions. "We asked him questions and we wrote down the answers he gave," Det. Garda Kissane said.
Earlier, Det. Garda Terry Hynes denied he told Mr John Martin he had been identified by bank staff. He said Mr Martin was "cool, calm and collected" while being interviewed but he didn't believe the accused's answers to his questions. The accused seemed like a man in control of his destiny and hadn't asked for a solicitor nor had he indicated he had an alibi. The hearing continues before Judge Patrick McCartan.