A FORMER Fianna Fáil councillor at the centre of an alleged blackmail plot has denied in court that he was taking cocaine on the night in question.
Wesley Higgins (33) is accused of attempting to extort €5,000 from former Dublin city councillor Liam Kelly by threatening to give photographs of him allegedly taking cocaine to a newspaper. The photographs were printed in the Sunday Worldshortly afterwards.
Mr Higgins of Dundaniel Road, Kilmore, Coolock, has pleaded not guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to demanding money with menaces between August 6th and August 12th, 2006.
During often heated cross-examination, Mr Kelly denied repeatedly that he was lying about his version of events and that phone records contradicted his evidence.
Keith Spencer, defending, presented a photograph to Mr Kelly which he said showed the witness “crouched over the arm of a couch with what looks to be a mirror or CD case. You’ve a tube to your nose and there’s white powder underneath.”
Mr Kelly replied that he accepts the photograph showed him in a “compromising position” but that he cannot recall its circumstances and that he did not take cocaine. The witness said he was an alcoholic and suffered from a “blackout” that night.
Mr Spencer said Mr Kelly was using the blackouts as a “convenient explanation” and that his recollection of the night was important because “you are the shaky foundation on which this prosecution is based”.
Counsel then put it to him that at one point the cocaine at the party ran out and Mr Higgins went to get more. He said that once the accused had left the house other people at the party began making fun of Mr Kelly because he had told them he was a politician and “in government”.
Counsel said Mr Kelly was anxious for the accused to return and phone data showed text messages from him to Mr Higgins, stating: “Get me out of here”, “Hurry Wes” and “How are you getting on?”
Mr Kelly replied that these text messages were sent while he was still in the city centre waiting to be picked up by Mr Higgins and taken to the party. He said they had nothing to do with cocaine.
Counsel also referred to a text received on Mr Higgins’s phone at 5.08am from “Bill” whom he described as a drug dealer. It read: “Come up to me very discreetly . . . Jump the wall. Thanks mate.” Mr Kelly said he had no knowledge of this message.
Mr Spencer said Mr Kelly’s account was “absolute nonsense”.
Mr Spencer also put it to the witness that phone records contradicted his Garda statement that he was picked up by Mr Higgins for the party at about 2.30am. Counsel said the records suggested the party didn’t begin until after 5am which was “implausible”. Mr Kelly responded that his drinking affected his recollection of when he was picked up and that it is plausible a party could start after 5am.