A Northern Ireland man has told the Special Criminal Court he was assaulted by detectives during questioning about the murder of Co Sligo community activist Terry Madden last year.
Mr Michael Herron said one detective got up off a chair while another detective held his hands at the side. The first detective grabbed him by the throat and started choking him.
"I thought it was an eternity," Mr Herron told Mr Brendan Grogan SC, defending, yesterday. Mr Herron was giving evidence in a "trial within a trial" to decide on the admissibility of statements allegedly made by him while in Garda custody at Manorhamilton Garda station last year.
It was the sixth day of the trial of Mr Herron (31), single, Belleek, Co Fermanagh, with an ad dress at Ballyshannon, Co Donegal, Mr Michael Doohan (34), single, a private in the Defence Forces, Ballinode, Co Sligo, and Mr Patrick McGrath (57), a married father of 12, Gurteen, Co Sligo, who deny the murder of Mr Madden (52), a father of three, at his home at Monasteraden, Co Sligo, on January 28th last year.
Mr Herron also denies possession of a shotgun with intent to endanger life on the same date. Mr Doohan and Mr McGrath also deny intentionally causing serious harm to Mr Madden and Mr McGrath denies possession of a sawn-off shotgun with intent to enable another person to endanger life.
Mr Herron said he was arrested on February 14th, 1999, and the next day he was taken to an interview room where there were two detectives. One of them said: "That's my uncle that you killed." Mr Herron said another detective mentioned to him about "a deal that could be sorted out" and that he would face a lesser charge than murder.
Mr Patrick Dorrian, Mr Herron's solicitor, told the court he had a phone conversation with his client on February 15th. He told him that gardai could not make him offers and he should be wary. He later visited Mr Herron who told him that he had been assaulted by detectives. He told him he should make a complaint.
Mr Dorrian told Mr Peter Charleton SC, prosecuting, that his office at no stage made a complaint about Mr Herron's treatment in custody. The trial continues today.