The protected witness Charles Bowden has told the Special Criminal Court that his life and the lives of his wife and children had been threatened because of his decision to give evidence in trials connected with the murder of the journalist Veronica Guerin.
Bowden said yesterday his house had been burned down and that he and his family would have to leave the country because he gave evidence for the State.
He also said he had made an application to the High Court against the Department of Justice over his treatment in prison.
Asked if he felt under pressure from the State, Bowden said: "Yes, in the sense that they were not giving me any information and making it difficult for me."
He said he had not been given favourable treatment because he had agreed to give evidence.
The witness agreed with Mr Michael O'Higgins SC, defending, that he had been given "a light sentence" by the court.
Bowden has told the court he is serving a six-year sentence for drugs and firearms offences. He said he had filed an application under Article 40 of the Constitution. It cites "oppressive conditions of confinement", the lack of a review date for his sentence and the reluctance of the Department of Justice to clarify its position, and he states this amounted to an attempt to intimidate him.
He said that at times the Department of Justice said he could be considered suitable for early release but at other times appeared "to close that option". Bowden is due for release, with remission, on September 6th this year. He said that many of his concerns had been met since he had taken the legal action against the Department and he now had protocols and some details of his future treatment.
Bowden also said he had mentioned in a letter that several people wanted in connection with the Guerin murder were outside the jurisdiction "and there is no real prospect of them being tried and convicted".
He told the court he had shown Brian Meehan, currently serving a life sentence for the Guerin murder, how to use the machine-gun which was used in the attempted murder of the Dublin criminal Martin Foley. Earlier, Bowden admitted that Foley had won a £120,000 judgment against him in an uncontested action in the High Court.
Yesterday was the 22nd day of the trial of John Gilligan (48), who has pleaded not guilty to the murder of Veronica Guerin (37) on June 26th, 1996.
The trial continues on Monday.