An Irishman accused of running a drugs-smuggling ring fled to Spain after his friend was shot dead by the IRA, a London court has been told.
Mr Thomas Mullen (26), a former Irish amateur international boxing champion, told the jury at Snaresbrook Crown Court that his friend Mr Gerard Lee was killed after refusing to give the IRA money in March 1996.
Mr Mullen said: "The reason why I went to Spain for a while was because I wanted to get out of Dublin, because my friend was shot dead. Gerard Lee was shot by the IRA. Gerard was not very popular with the police in Dublin . . . I cannot prove that the Irish police gave the information to the IRA, but he had large sums of cash and they wanted this cash off him.
"He is a personal friend of mine and they know I have large sums of cash also. I know the IRA had an interest in me."
Mr Mullen told the jury: "A friend of mine was called to a meeting with the IRA who wanted £1 million off me or they were going to kill me." Mr Mullen also claimed the gardai hounded him after he gave an alibi which acquitted his friend, Mr Geoffrey Innis, of armed robbery.
Mr Mullen said he rented a home in Etchingham Park Road, Finchley, north London, under his girlfriend's name (O'Brien) to avoid detection by the IRA.
He was arrested coming out of the safe depository in Hampstead in March last year with £105,000 cash and police discovered a further £90,000 cash and passports in his safe deposit box.
He denies the money came from drug-dealing, but told the jury he could not say where it came from without incriminating himself in criminal investigations in Ireland. The court was told that Mr Mullen, who never worked a day in his life, had spent more than £125,OOO on a house for his parents.
Earlier, two armed robberies netting £6.4 million in Ireland in the early 1990s were referred to in Mr Mullen's defence. He told the jury no evidence was found to link him, or anyone else, to the robberies. Mr Peter Walsh, prosecuting, accused Mr Mullen of implying he was involved in the robberies to explain where all his money came from.
Mr Mullen replied: "You have to prove that I am guilty. I do not have to prove that I am innocent."
Under cross-examination, Mr Mullen became agitated when asked about his background. He thumped his hand on the witness box, saying: "I am totally innocent of this crime. I want you to prove this."
Mr Mullen admits knowing his co-defendant Turhan Mustafa, who has pleaded guilty to exporting heroin. But he claims to know nothing about his drug-dealing.
He also said he had only met the prosecution's main witness, Catherine Brooks, only once. The jury is expected to retire today.