Security staff at the Green Isle Hotel in Clondalkin, Co Dublin, gave evidence at the Special Criminal Court yesterday of the events surrounding the arrest of Mr Paul Ward, the man accused of murdering journalist Veronica Guerin. The court has heard that Mr Ward was arrested at gunpoint while he slept at the hotel early on October 8th, 1996.
Evidence has been given that Mr Ward was taken to Ronanstown Garda station after his arrest at 1.50 a.m. but was released at 2.45 a.m. after the detective who arrested him was told by an informant that he had arrested "the wrong man".
Garda witnesses have said Mr Ward was arrested in connection with an armed robbery earlier that month but Mr Ward's lawyers have claimed he was arrested in connection with the Guerin murder.
They have claimed Mr Ward was arrested twice for the same offence and that the second arrest, on October 16th, 1996, was therefore invalid. The court yesterday issued witness summonses for seven staff who worked at the hotel in October 1996 including the duty manager, a receptionist and a number of security staff.
Security staff gave evidence that gardai were called after three men were seen acting suspiciously at the hotel. They were giving evidence in a "trial within a trial" to decide on certain legal issues raised by the defence. Mr Ward's lawyers are challenging the legality of his arrest on October 16th, 1996, and are arguing that his constitutional rights were breached because of non-compliance with custody regulations while in Garda custody at Lucan Garda station. The defence has also claimed that Mr Ward was deprived of prescribed medication. Mr Paul "Hippo" Ward (34), with an address at Walkinstown Road, Dublin, has pleaded not guilty to the murder of journalist Veronica Guerin (36), a mother of one, at the Naas Road, Clondalkin, Co Dublin, on June 26th, 1996. The prosecution has claimed Mr Ward was a member of the gang which planned and carried out the killing and that he disposed of the murder weapon and the motorcycle. Mr Christopher Seery said he was a security officer at the Green Isle Hotel in October 1996 and he was on duty on the night of October 7th-8th, 1996. At about 1010.30 p.m, he saw a blue Hiace van pulling into the car park and two men getting out and going into the hotel. The van left and returned five minutes later and another man got out and went into the hotel.
Mr Noel O'Neill Snr said he worked for a security company used by the hotel. He was in the hotel when a detective and two uniformed gardai came in. He went with the night manager and the detective and two gardai to a room on the first floor. The gardai stood at either side of the door which the manager banged but got no response. The manager then used his key to open it. Cross-examined by Mr Ward's counsel, Mr Patrick MacEntee SC, Mr O'Neill said his suspicions were aroused when the address used by one of the men who had registered at the hotel did not check out with the gardai. "That made my hair at the back of my neck stand up," he said.
Mr O'Neill said he saw a detective and two gardai at the hotel and shortly afterwards a black jeep arrived with two other gardai. Further questioned by Mr MacEntee, he said he was not "100 per cent positive" whether the detective had been accompanied by one or two other gardai but he said two uniformed gardai had arrived separately in a jeep.
Mr James Downes said he was a security officer at the hotel and he had checked out an address used by a man, who had registered and had prepaid, with gardai in Cabra who put him on to Blanchardstown. The address had not checked out. He said a robbery had occurred at a hotel in Leixlip a short time before that when the robbers had checked in and then opened doors at the hotel. Cross-examined by Mr MacEntee, Mr Downes said after he cal led for assistance from the gardai, three gardai arrived, a plain clothes garda and two uniformed officers. A man was arrested. Mr Downes said he was not aware if any of the gardai were armed. "That's not my business."
At about 56 a.m., a couple of uniformed gardai came to the hotel for a cup of tea and he learned that a Mr Ward from Crumlin, who had £550 in cash on him, had been arrested. The gardai did not tell him why the man was arrested or that he had been re leased. He did not know the gar dai or which station they were from. The trial continues.