Witness denies distortion claims

Morris Tribunal: A senior garda has denied that he distorted allegations and attempted to "drum up a case" against a suspended…

Morris Tribunal: A senior garda has denied that he distorted allegations and attempted to "drum up a case" against a suspended superintendent accused of arranging bogus arms finds.

Chief Supt Denis Fitzpatrick denied that he pursued Ms Sheenagh McMahon, estranged wife of Det Noel McMahon, to make a statement, "drumming up the case" against Supt Kevin Lennon.

"That's not true. I dealt with Ms McMahon as sympathetically as I could, and as slowly as possible," he told the tribunal chairman, Mr Justice Frederick Morris.

He said Ms McMahon "alleged that Supt Lennon was the cause of Det McMahon's problems".

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Supt Lennon said he had helped the McMahons in a "fair and honest effort to reconcile their domestic problem".

Chief Supt Fitzpatrick also denied distorting what he was told by a solicitor about allegations of misconduct.

The former head of the Donegal division told Supt Lennon that Donegal solicitor Mr Paudge Dorrian "made a general statement that you were involved in misconduct.

"That when arms and explosives were found, some of them would be held back."

"Did you distort what Mr Dorrian said?", asked Supt Lennon, who is representing himself before the tribunal.

"No, I did not distort," replied Chief Supt Fitzpatrick.