A Garda told the Special Criminal Court today that he waited nearly ten minutes to arrest a Co Cork chef accused of IRA membership because he wanted to make sure he had stopped the right men.
Det Sgt Rory Corcoran was giving evidence in the trial of Don Bullman (32), of Fernwood Crescent, Leghanamore, Wilton, Co Cork who has denied charges of membership of the IRA on February 16th, 2005.
Det Sgt Corcoran told prosecuting counsel, Mr George Birmingham SC, that he was on duty at Heuston Station as part of an investigations into the possible exchange of IRA funds, including proceeds from the stg£26 million Northern Bank robbery in Belfast in 2004.
The court has heard the accused was found to be in possession of a washing powder box containing €94,250 in cash and during a follow up search at his home in Cork gardai found an investment bond in his name for €50,000 and a sweet tin containing £870.
Det Sgt Corcoran said there was a gap of nearly ten minutes from the time he stopped the accused and when he arrested him because he wanted to "establish the identities" of the three men travelling in the car.
Under cross-examination by defence counsel, Mr Conor Devally SC, Det Sgt Corcoran denied he had taken the Daz box out of the car and put it on the ground.
He admitted he had taken it out of the bag while performing a "cursory search" but said he would have put the box back in the bag like he had found it.
Mr Devally SC asked Det Gda Fergal O'Brien, who arrived at the scene some minutes after Mr Bullman was initially stopped, if he agreed with the defence's case that the "arrests only swung into action when other gardai came onto the scene".
Det Gda O'Brien said he "couldn't answer" that question.
Sgt Marilyn Brosnan denied that she and her colleagues had mistakenly thought they were supposed to be in Connolly Station, rather than Heuston and that this was the reason for the delay.
She also denied Det Sgt Corcoran gave out to them for failing to be there earlier. She said she had been driving around Phoenix Park, as instructed, awaiting further directions.
The trial continues tomorrow.