A former garda has told a jury at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court that a former officer who claims to have been involved in a car accident on his way to work never owned a Peugeot 405 that was involved in the alleged crash.
Former garda Mr Vincent Molloy was giving his evidence on the seventh day of the trial of retired Roscommon garda, Mr Desmond McGonigle, and Longford woman, Ms Jacqueline Kinlan, who are charged with conspiracy to defraud the Guardian PMPA insurance company by claiming they were involved in separate car accidents.
Mr McGonigle (58), Cleen, Knockvicar, Boyle, has pleaded not guilty that on diverse dates between December 1st, 1995, and May 31st, 1996, he conspired with other people to defraud Guardian PMPA by falsely pretending that a genuine car accident had taken place on December 21st, 1995.
Ms Kinlan (36), Ballagh, Newtown Forbes, has pleaded not guilty that on diverse dates between March 1st, 1994, and January 1st, 1995, she conspired with others to defraud the company by falsely pretending that a genuine car accident had occurred on March 17th, 1994.
Mr Molloy told Mr George Birmingham SC, prosecuting, that he worked with Mr McGonigle at Carrick-on-Shannon Garda station from 1993 to 1997 and they were in the same unit for the last 14 months. He never saw Mr McGonigle driving a grey Peugeot 405 Diesel Estate, registration number 93-LD-341, which, it is claimed, he was driving on the night of the alleged crash.
He agreed with Mr John Phelan SC, for Mr McGonigle, in cross-examination, that it was possible his client could have been the owner of a particular vehicle without his (the witness) knowledge.
Garda Kevin Simpson told Mr Birmingham that he was Mr McGonigle's partner in a patrol car on the night of the alleged crash and he could not recollect him speaking about any crash on the night or at any other time.
Insp Aidan Clacken said he used to work at Longford Garda station and knew Ms Kinlan. He said he knew her brother-in-law, Michael Byrne, who was once one of the largest garage proprietors in the north-west.
The court has heard from the outset that Byrne was the central figure in the conspiracy.