A key prosecution witness at the appeal of two men jailed for murdering PSNI Constable Stephen Carroll is a compulsive liar who lives in a world of his own, a court in Belfast heard yesterday.
Defence lawyers claimed the man, known only as Witness M, has been branded a Walter Mitty-type character by his own family, and described his account of what he saw on the night of the shooting as “farcical”.
The man’s reliability came under attack as Brendan McConville and John Paul Wootton began appeals against their convictions for the murder. Constable Carroll was ambushed and shot dead as he responded to a 999 call at Lismore Manor, Craigavon in March 2009.
McConville (42), of Glenholme Avenue, Craigavon, is serving a 25-year sentence for the murder. Wootton (22), of Collindale, Lurgan, received a 14-year term.
McConville’s legal team opened the hearing by rejecting the account given by Witness M who claimed to have seen their client in the area at about the time of the killing. Witness M only phoned police to make his claims 11 months later, the court heard.
The hearing continues.