Mr Tommy Mullen, also known as "The Boxer", has claimed in a London court that murdered crime reporter, Veronica Guerin, was vindictive and gardai fed lies to Independent TD Mr Tony Gregory. Mr Mullen (26), facing drugs charges in Snaresbrook Crown Court, is one of the last people Ms Guerin is alleged to have interviewed. The former Irish international light middle weight champion blamed a garda for spreading lies to the press and the IRA that he was involved in drugs.
He said that a detective inspector warned him he was a "marked man" with the police. Mr Mullen, of Clonliffe Road, Dublin, claims he is on an IRA hit list because of suspected drug dealing.
He was giving evidence during his trial where he stands accused of conspiracy to export heroin from Britain to Ireland. His co-defendant, Mr Turhan Mustafa (48) has admitted the same offence.
Mr Mullen said he met Mr Mustafa in London in 1994 and made a deal to bring £10,000 regularly into England.
In June last year, Mr Mullen fled to Spain after his name appeared among 40 others on an IRA hit list. On his return to Ireland in July last year, the Provisional IRA contacted him and demanded £1 million to spare his life.
Mr Mullen said: "Police were going straight to the journalists and all this was going into the newspapers. I was given immense publicity."
Mr Graham Blower, prosecuting, asked: "Are you saying you have been set up by the Irish police, that they have leaked false information about you to the IRA, and you have been the poor victim because somebody didn't like you giving evidence in court?"
Mr Mullen said: "That's right."
He denied giving an interview to Ms Guerin. "I did not give an interview to Veronica Guerin. That person is a very vindictive person. She would write what she thought and also what the police officers gave her," he said. He also claimed that Mr Gregory TD ail parliament, had been fed the same lies by gardai. The hearing continues today.