The Special Criminal Court yesterday heard a tape recording of Mr Brian Meehan, the Dublin man accused of murdering the journalist Veronica Guerin, threatening to kill a woman if her boyfriend "ratted" on him.
A taped telephone conversation between Mr Meehan and Ms Juliet Bacon was played to the court in which Mr Meehan told Ms Bacon: "I'll send someone to f . . . ing kill you this f . . . ing day. Do you understand what I'm saying?"
The conversation was recorded by gardai at the Hole in the Wall pub in Dublin. The conversation ends with heated exchanges between Mr Meehan and Ms Bacon over Charles Bowden, Ms Bacon's boyfriend, who is now a State witness in the case. Bowden has since married Ms Bacon and the couple are under the Witness Protection Programme.
It was the fifth day of the trial of Mr Meehan (34), of no fixed abode, and formerly of Clifton Court, Dublin, and Stanaway Road, Crumlin, who has pleaded not guilty to the murder of Ms Guerin (36) at Naas Road, Clondalkin, on June 26th, 1996.
In addition to the murder charge, Mr Meehan denies 16 charges alleging that he unlawfully imported cannabis resin into the State on various dates between July 1st, 1994, and October 6th, 1996, and that he possessed cannabis resin for sale or supply. He has also pleaded not guilty to having a Sten sub-machinegun, silencer barrel, two magazines, a 9mm Agram machine pistol, five Walther semi-automatic pistols, four magazines and 1,057 rounds of assorted ammunition with intent to endanger life. Det Garda Colm Church told the court that he went to the Hole in the Wall pub on Blackhorse Avenue on April 11th, 1997, and asked the owner if he could record a phone conversation from the pub's public telephone box. He fitted a microphone to the handset of the telephone and to a tape recorder.
Around 4 p.m. Ms Bacon and other gardai arrived at the pub and he recorded five separate calls on the phone. The first was to a wrong number, the second was made by Ms Bacon to a man with an English accent named Terry asking for Brian Meehan to get in touch with her, and the fifth was from Brian Meehan.
Det Garda Church said that shortly after the call from Mr Meehan, Ms Bacon became very distressed and was crying. He played the tape to the court and, after exchanging greetings, Ms Bacon tells Mr Meehan: "Charlie [Bowden] is going f . . . ing mad, he wants to know what the f . . . ing story is with [a man who can only be identified by order of the court as Mr E] and how come [Mr E] came home."
Mr Meehan tells Ms Bacon it has nothing to do with Charlie and that Mr E came home because he wanted to clear his name and that he was innocent. "He said they nicked him . . . He got told that someone ratted that he was coming on the boat or else they said they had surveillance on the boats."
Ms Bacon then tells Mr Meehan that Bowden is under lock-up and that he went mad and "hit one of the screws" and that he was sent to Arbour Hill [prison] where he is under 20-hour lock-up. When Mr Meehan asks why he is in Arbour Hill, Ms Bacon says it is because he hit one of the screws. She adds that Bowden is upset.
Mr Meehan: But that whole thing, Julie, like tell me about what whole thing, like [Mr E] has nothing to do with what Charlie got done for.
Ms Bacon: I know, he's just wondering, just worried what the story is, that's all.
Mr Meehan: But it's nothing got to do with the murder and it's nothing, he's clear on the murder, [Mr E] is, because they didn't do him with it, cause they've no evidence, right.
When Ms Bacon asks Mr Meehan about "the drugs thing", Mr Meehan tells her that Mr E "never touched anything."
Mr Meehan: Now listen to me and I'll tell you cause I want to get things straight, cause things are looking very f . . . ing fishy to me, right, and I'll tell you what. I'm after being good to everybody but I'm taking off my gloves now. If Charlie's going belly up, if Charlie is going gammy he better f . . . ing think very strongly about what will happen. Ms Bacon: Are you threatening me, Brian? Mr Meehan: Threatening, Julie, you'll have no idea what I'm going to f . . . ing do if he goes Turk. Now, I'm telling you, I'm his friend still, I'm helping you every way I can, but I'm f . . . ing starting to worry and worry and worry, cause I'll tell you who goes to Arbour Hill - rapists and f . . . ing rats. The conversation continues with Mr Meehan mentioning that Bowden did not fight his extradition, and Ms Bacon tells him that was because "they were going to take me in." Mr Meehan: I've done everything I f . . . ing can to help him, everything. He has no worries against why [Mr E] is home unless he made a statement against [Mr E], do you understand?
Ms Bacon tells Mr Meehan that Bowden is "going ballistic" and is wondering what the story is.
Mr Meehan: I'll send someone to f . . . ing kill you this f . . . ing day, do you understand what I'm saying?
Ms Bacon: What did you say?
Mr Meehan: You are f . . . ing hearing me. I'll send someone to kill you and everybody around you if he goes Turk. Now tell him I said that, right, and tell him I said I'm f . . . ing considering doing him anyway, so he better not f . . . ing think of going rat, right, that's the message now, right.
Ms Bacon: You're a f . . . ing knacker, that's all, you're a knacker.
Mr Meehan: You're the f . . .ing . . . and Charlie is a rat and if he rats on me, I'll f . . . ing kill you.
Ms Bacon: I don't f . . . ing blame him if he does, you prick, you.
Mr Meehan: Yeah, you f . . . ing scumbag.
Ms Bacon: You're a scumbag. F . . . off.
Cross-examined by Mr Meehan's counsel, Mr John Mc Crudden QC, Det Garda Church said he knew nothing about Mr Meehan being the target of the phone call. He said that after the call with Mr Meehan gardai got Ms Bacon a drink. He agreed that on the tape Ms Bacon did not appear very distressed, and agreed that she was "together" during the conversation.
The trial resumes next Tuesday.