A Donegal garda has denied being "got at" to change his story and was warned by Mr Justice Frederick Morris that there would be "certain consequences" to not co-operating with the Morris tribunal into alleged Garda corruption in Donegal.
Garda Tom Lynch was being cross-examined about discrepancies between his evidence to the tribunal and a statement given to tribunal investigator Mr Michael Finn two weeks ago.
Yesterday, Garda Lynch told the tribunal he was not involved in a search following the arrest of Ms Adrienne McGlinchey on May 18th, 1993.
However, two weeks ago in an interview with the investigator Mr Finn, he said he did take part in a search.
Garda Lynch arrested Ms McGlinchey under section 30 of the Offences Against the State Act on May 18th, 1993, after a discovery of some bullets in an area where she had been seen.
While he was interviewing Ms McGlinchey, he was called from the interview room and was told he was needed for a search of the area where the find had been made.
Yesterday he told the tribunal he was not involved in the search.
"Has somebody got at you in the intervening 2½ weeks from the time you spoke to Mr Finn to get you to change your story?" asked Mr Paul Murray, representing Ms McGlinchey.
"No," replied Garda Lynch. "I was confused yesterday and I apologise for it." He added: "The interview with Mr Finn is the correct story."
He said that when he was called from the interview with Ms McGlinchey, he searched the area but "there was nothing found." Garda Lynch was asked who had decided to break off the interview and conduct a search instead, which he was unable to answer.
He said Garda Swift had been called from the room, but he was writing at the time and did not see who called him out.
When Garda Swift returned, he informed Garda Lynch they were to conduct the search.
The tribunal chairman, Mr JusticeMorris, said to Garda Lynch he was "beginning to think you're not going to co-operate with the tribunal, and that carries with it certain consequences."
He asked if Garda Lynch had inquired as to who had given the direction to conduct a search.
The guard said he felt the interview would be continued later. He said it seemed Ms McGlinchey was "making herself available" to be arrested by her behaviour.
Garda Lynch agreed he had lived near a house in Swilly Terrace, Letterkenny, Co Donegal, whose occupants were Provisional IRA suspects, and confirmed he had never seen Ms McGlinchey there.
In the current module, the tribunal is examining allegations by Ms McGlinchey that with Det Noel McMahon and Supt Kevin Lennon, she mixed explosives that were later used in bogus finds of terrorist arms.
Both men have denied those allegations and Ms McGlinchey denies she was an informer.