Meeting on street led to bizarre series of events

The "silver bullet" module has been completed and Christine Newman takes a look at the evidence.

The "silver bullet" module has been completed and Christine Newman takes a look at the evidence.

Bernard Conlon travelled miles from his home in Sligo to hear country-and-western music and this took him often to Raphoe in Co Donegal to Frankie's nightclub, owned by the McBrearty family.

One night in July 1997 Conlon approached a garda in the street in the early hours to complain about not getting a meal in Frankie's. The garda was John White.

This meeting proved to be the catalyst for the maelstrom of events that followed. It was set against the background of public disorder on the streets of Raphoe at weekends and Garda raids on nightclubs, particularly on Frankie's.

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The McBreartys had been suspected of being involved in the death of cattle-dealer Richie Barron in October 1996. The raids were seen by them as further harassment.

This was the backdrop for the meeting between Conlon and White. Neither man denies it happened, but their accounts differ widely, and from then on everything is disputed.

The two could not be more different. Conlon (49), an illiterate man from Co Meath, has a string of convictions - for fraud, impersonating a social worker, larceny and wounding cattle. He moved to Sligo and lives on disability benefit.

White (50) was born in Co Tipperary. He had an impeccable record and fine reputation in the Garda Síochána. Married with a family living in Ballybofey, he was promoted to the rank of detective sergeant and was involved in solving major criminal cases. Today, White is suspended and suffers from depression. For the past 5½ years he has fought the allegations.

Conlon alleged that White recruited him at that first meeting and arranged for him to be found during late-night drinking at Frankie's on August 30th/31st, 1997.

On July 20th, 1998, Conlon reported to gardaí that two men had come to the door and threatened him with a "silver bullet" if he continued to be a witness. Conlon later falsely identified Mark McConnell and Michael Peoples, members of the extended family. They were arrested and detained, later to be released without charge.

The Carty internal Garda investigation team looking into corruption then came on the scene. This caused a seismic change. In January 2000 Conlon told the team that his statements, including the "silver bullet" story, were lies. He said he had been put up to it all by White, who had paid him. The team considered there was enough corroboration to arrest White. He was acquitted this year in Letterkenny Circuit Court of perverting the course of justice and of making false statements.

Conlon received a three-year suspended sentence for making false statements.

Meanwhile, the issue of forged expenses claims for Conlon's court attendances centred on Sligo Garda station. Garda John Nicholson was a reputable officer for over 30 years, a family man, a pillar of the community.

Two handwriting experts said that the seven certificates were forged, written by at least four people, and four signatures were forged by Nicholson.

Nicholson denied signing or writing any. He pleaded guilty in 2002 to submitting forged certificates and got the Probation Act. He was hospitalised for two months this summer in St Patrick's Psychiatric Hospital.

Mr Justice Morris has ruled previously that Richie Barron's death occurred in a hit-and-run incident and had nothing to do with the McBreartys.