Morris TribunalThe Garda superintendent alleged to have prepared bogus explosives-finds in Donegal a decade ago in order to advance his career has told the Morris tribunal he was a fall guy and had no case to answer.
Concluding his closing submission, Garda Supt Kevin Lennon told the tribunal chairman:
"There is no case for me to meet. I did not acquiesce in the aspects of the events [that are] the subject matter of this module," he said.
In the last year, the tribunal has heard 163 days of evidence into allegations that Det Noel McMahon and Supt Kevin Lennon prepared explosives, together with alleged informer Ms Adrienne McGlinchey, that were later used in bogus Garda arms finds. Both gardaí deny the accusations and Ms McGlinchey has insisted she was never an informer or IRA member.
"I request you to go further, sir, and take a quantum leap and accept that this module has its origins in the Richard Barron affair, yet to be fully heard," Supt Lennon added.
Earlier, Supt Lennon said he was "singled out as the fall guy, the rogue cop who brought upon or visited upon the division of Donegal the problems that you now have to deal with".
He said he "had no knowledge" at the time of reports that Ms McGlinchey was grinding fertiliser for explosives finds in coffee-grinders. "It was always my belief and it still remain my belief, sir, that in no circumstances could you crush the quantity of materials that were found in a coffee grinder or a series of coffee-grinders." The tribunal resumes on June 9th.