Father threatened with jail, Morris tribunal told

A dad-of-six was threatened with 10 years behind bars and warned his children would be taken away unless he changed a statement…

A dad-of-six was threatened with 10 years behind bars and warned his children would be taken away unless he changed a statement to identify two suspects in a botched death probe, it was claimed today.

Sean Crossan at the Morris Tribunal
Sean Crossan at the Morris Tribunal

Sean Crossan says he was shown post mortem photographs, assaulted, had his mouth spat in and was sworn at by gardai in Donegal who were investigating the death of cattle dealer Richie Barron, the Morris Tribunal heard.

They maintained he took a £500 bribe from the father of one of the suspects to cover up.

Mr Crossan (57) from Raphoe, was held for 12 hours in Letterkenny Garda Station in December 1996, during which time he claims he was intimidated and assaulted by officers.

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They were investigating the death of Mr Barron, a hit-and-run victim who gardai wrongly believed had been murdered.

The electrician - who also worked as a part-time doorman at Frank McBrearty's nightclub in the town - was arrested as an accessory after the fact of murder.

Gardai accused him of seeing prime suspects Frank McBrearty Jnr and Mark McConnell in the club car park covered in blood shortly after the alleged attack.

Mr Crossan told gardai that three clean, well dressed young men who he had never seen before walked through the car park.

He said officers threatened him with 10 years in jail for perjury and warned his children - aged from one to 13 years - would be taken away by social services.

"He wanted me to sign a statement that Mr McBrearty gave me £500," said Mr Crossan. "And he wanted me to sign a statement that Mr McBrearty Jnr and Mark McConnell came out of the car park.

"I told them it was lies. They told me I was a liar, that I was given money. I told them I wasn't telling lies for nobody."

"He said I was a menace to society," continued Mr Crossan. "They said they were going to a social worker the next morning to take them in to care. My nerves were gone."

Following the threats against his family, Mr Crossan felt pressured in to withdrawing his statement.

He also maintains Det Sgt John White assaulted him, striking him in the face, ear and punching him in the chest stomach and privates, while Det Sgt Sylvester Henry showed him graphic autopsy images of Mr Barron on a slab.

"I have never seen pictures like that before," Mr Crossan added. "It caused me a lot of nightmares for a while."

The Morris Tribunal is currently investigating claims some 12 people - many related to the McBrearty family - were interrogated, intimidated or abused during the botched investigation.