A former RUC sergeant who processed civilian prisoners at a British army base in Derry on Bloody Sunday told the inquiry he saw no acts of brutality while the prisoners were in police custody.
Mr Charles Graham admitted under questioning, however, that he did not know what happened to the prisoners between their arrival at Fort George base and reaching the first stage of RUC processing.
The tribunal adjourned when it was informed that the High Court in Belfast had given leave to lawyers for victims' families to seek a judicial review of the tribunal ruling last Thursday to grant screening to 20 police witnesses.
Mr Graham, who did not seek screening, said he was originally from the Republic but never had any problems being an RUC officer in Derry. "I knew people who were terrorists, as well as men who served in the army and the RUC. I knew a wide range of people from the Bogside, Creggan and Shantallow; we all used to meet and drink in the same pubs and I never had any trouble with any of them," he said.
He said he was sent to Fort George to process prisoners on January 30th, 1972. He processed about 50 prisoners who were brought in by the army and he knew of no prisoners being badly treated that day, although he knew allegations were made afterwards.
The witness said he particularly remembered processing a priest, Father Terence O'Keeffe, who was accused of throwing stones. He could not believe the priest was involved in stone-throwing. There was no mud on his clothing, his hands were scrupulously clean, "and I couldn't believe a man of the cloth would have been out there throwing stones".
When it was put to him that Father O'Keeffe had described numerous acts of brutality and harassment by soldiers, including the forcing of prisoners to run a gauntlet of baton-wielding paratroopers and barking dogs, the witness said if such things happened they occurred while the prisoners were outside police control.
Asked by tribunal judge, Mr John Toohey, to describe the holding centre, the witness replied: "If you want my honest opinion, it was a blooming shambles that day compared to present-day custody suites."
However, a statement made by a fellow constable to the effect that at Fort George "the army were running the show" was wrong.
Replying to Mr Barry McDonald QC, for a number of families, he accepted that a number of prisoners were picked out at random by soldiers who said they had been rioting. Counsel put it to him that "a systematic deceit" was being practised in relation to all the statements made there by the soldiers. The witness said he did not know that at the time, but "it would appear what you are saying is quite correct".
Counsel suggested to the witness that he did see brutality on the part of the paratroopers. Mr Graham replied: "I am not denying it. I cannot recall it. Thirty years is a long time, - unfortunately I just cannot remember."
Asked it there was a tradition in the RUC of closing ranks to protect other members of the RUC and other soldiers, he replied: "In a word of one syllable, no. I would try to be impartial." Asked by the chairman, Lord Saville, if he was telling the whole truth, the witness said he was trying to tell the truth as best he could of what happened 30 years ago.