Morris tribunal: A former member of an internal Garda team looking into incidents in Co Donegal in the 1990s has denied that there was an underhand reason for issuing a warrant to search the home of a Raphoe man for a silver bullet.
Retired Supt John F O'Connor said yesterday he went to Donegal in March 1999 as a member of the Carty internal investigation team primarily to look into the circumstances surrounding the death of cattle dealer Richie Barron in October 1996.
Three people, Frank McBrearty jnr, Mark McConnell and Michael Peoples, were detained on suspicion of Mr Barron's murder. The tribunal has since found that Mr Barron was a hit-and-run victim.
Mr McConnell and Mr Peoples were later falsely identified by Bernard Conlon as having gone to his home and threatening him with a silver bullet if he gave evidence in a licensing case against the McBreartys.
Mr Conlon identified Mr Peoples as being one of the men in December 1998 and five months later, he was arrested and a warrant was issued to search his house the same day.
Mr Conlon later admitted he fabricated the story, claiming it was at the instigation of a garda, and he was found guilty of making false statements.
Yesterday, tribunal lawyer Paul McDermott said Mr McBrearty jnr's trial was then starting in Letterkenny, where he was acquitted of assault. He was due to give evidence on the day of Mr Peoples' arrest. Mr O'Connor, who issued the search warrant, said he had not been aware of Mr McBrearty's trial.
Mr McDermott asked if it had any influence on the issuing of the warrant. "Certainly not," Mr O'Connor said. Mr McDermott said it might be regarded that, if Mr McBrearty became aware of the arrest of Mr Peoples, a distant relative by marriage, it might have put pressure on him.
Mr O'Connor said: "Certainly the warrant was issued by me in good faith and there was no underhand reason for that warrant being issued as far as I'm concerned."
Another member of the Carty team, now Supt Hugh Coll, then an inspector, said he was involved in the search but did not know Mr McBrearty jnr was in court. He did not think he would find a silver bullet. Even if the story had been true, Mr Peoples would not be stupid enough to hold on to a silver bullet for five months, he said.