A Garda has denied in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court that he handled stolen cars between January 1996 and February 1998.
Garda Patrick Farrelly (42), Stameen Lawns, Drogheda, Co Louth, pleaded not guilty to handling a stolen Honda Civic between January 3th, 1996, and January 28th, 1998, and a stolen Saab, between September 5th, 1996, and February 1998 while knowing them to be stolen.
Garda Micheál Fagan told Mr Roderick O'Hanlon, prosecuting, that he was asked by Garda Farrelly early in 1996 if he was interested in buying a car.
He turned down the offer at first but took the Honda Civic for a drive and changed his mind, buying it for €5,250.
Garda Fagan said he was happy with the car but shortly after he had purchased it, Garda Farrelly told him the stereo was the property of Mr Nigel Skelly who wanted it back, and said he would replace it.
Mr Skelly called to his house and removed the stereo from the car, but it was never replaced.
Garda Fagan told the court he had the car for about two years when an inspector told him he needed to examine it. The car was taken away and he never got it back.
When asked by Mr Raymond Comyn SC, defending, why he did not tell the jury that the car had belonged to Mr Skelly, even though he had noted that in his statement to the investigating gardaí, Garda Fagan replied he had told the jury the stereo had belonged to Mr Skelly and had not said the car did not belong to him.
He said he was not worried when he found out Mr Skelly owned the car as Garda Farrelly was a colleague of his and he trusted him.
He denied Mr Comyn's suggestion that all of his dealings with the car had been done with Mr Skelly and that he had only given the money to Garda Farrelly out of convenience.
The trial continues tomorrow before Judge Dominic Lynch.