Former superintendent Kevin Lennon became a garda in 1975 and was first stationed in Buncrana, Co Donegal. He rose through the ranks while being moved to different locations in the State before being appointed superintendent in February 1997.
He was an inspector during the period which came under investigation by the Morris tribunal. He was suspended from the Garda in August 2002 and subsequently fired in October 2004 because of the Morris tribunal's finding that he had orchestrated hoax explosives finds to further his career.
Supt Lennon became aware of the use of Bernard Conlon as an agent in the course of the District Court prosecution against the McBreartys under the licensing laws in Letterkenny. Supt Lennon made an attempt to ensure that Mr Conlon could only be called as a defence witness as he feared he would disclose that he had been planted as a witness by Det Sgt John White. He was obliged by the judge to tender Mr Conlon for cross-examination. After Mr Conlon's arrest by the Carty team, Supt Lennon tried to find out what had been said and he made a remark to Garda John Nicholson that he was "tight" and "would not crack".
The tribunal said it concluded that this remark could only be interpreted as showing that Supt Lennon and Garda Nicholson each understood that Mr Conlon had something to hide from the Carty team. In the Burnfoot report, Supt Lennon was found to have lied about when warrants were issued for the search of the Traveller encampment at Burnfoot, Co Donegal, in May 1998. ...
WHAT THE TRIBUNAL SAID: "In this, he [Lennon] failed to comply with his obligations as the prosecuting officer to observe fair procedures and in his duty to the court."