Morris tribunal: A Garda sergeant said yesterday he had followed instructions in the Garda Siochána code to refute where possible all allegations in statements of claim in civil court cases.
Garda Sgt Michael Carroll said he was following the code when he denied allegations made by Charlotte Peoples about her period of detention on December 4th, 1996 in answer to a statement of claim.
This week Sgt Carroll changed his statement at the tribunal and admitted certain allegations.
Ms Peoples claimed she heard roaring in the next interrogation room where her cousin Róisín McConnell was being interviewed.
This upset her and she asked Sgt Carroll and Det Garda Michael Jennings, who were interviewing her, to intervene.
Sgt Carroll admitted this week he heard raised voices in the other room. He denied Ms Peoples asked them to intervene.
He admitted yesterday he had pretended to make a phone call while Ms Peoples was being interviewed and told her that her husband, Michael Peoples, also arrested that day, had confessed to knowing of the murder of cattle-dealer Richie Barron which was untrue. He said Ms Peoples had responded that she did not know anything about it.
"I wasn't boxing by the Queensberry Rules," he said. He accepted it was a trick and it had not been put into Det Garda Jennings' interview notes.
Tribunal lawyer Paul McDermott SC asked him about the statement he made denying the allegations in 2004.
"We had specific instructions about statements of claim. All matters were to be refuted where possible. It was a matter of An Garda Siochána code," he said.
Ms Peoples was one of 12 people arrested over the death of Mr Barron who the Garda claimed was murdered.
The tribunal has ruled it was a hit-an-run. The people are taking civil cases against the State.