Gardai investigating the death of a Co Clare farmer wrote interview notes that were a work of creative fiction, a murder trial jury in the Central Criminal Court was told yesterday.
Defence counsel Mr Martin Giblin SC put it to Det. Sgt Jeremiah Healy of the National Bureau of Criminal Investigations that some of the notes written by gardai at an alleged interview were not made by the accused.
Mr Giblin said the accused was being "stitched up" and had "verbal admissions planted on him" and that gardai had been involved in a skilful mixture of truth and fantasy.
Mr William Campion (31), of no fixed abode but formerly of Pineview Gardens, Moyross, Limerick, denies the murder of farmer Mr Patrick "Paud" Skehan (68), of Ardataggle, Bridgetown.
The attack on Mr Skehan took place during a robbery at his home between April 9th and 10th 1998 and he died from his injuries on June 3rd that year.
Mr Campion also denies burglary contrary to the Larceny Act. Mr Skehan was found bound and hung upside down unconscious at his home.
Shoe prints in blood found at the scene have been connected to the accused by the prosecution. Det. Sgt Healy said that notes read to the court were taken during an interview with the accused.
He said the accused repeatedly denied any knowledge of the death of Mr Skehan during interviewing and his comments were recorded in the notes. Asked what he had to say about a shoe print made in blood that matched a print taken of runners taken from the accused, Mr Campion allegedly replied: "Astonishing." Det. Sgt Healy told prosecution counsel Mr Denis Vaughan Buckley SC that Mr Campion later said he acquired the runners from a cousin but later again he denied this.
Asked by a garda why he said he was given the runners, Mr Campion replied that he was "playing with your head", the notes said.
Det. Sgt Healy alleged Mr Campion told gardai that he admitted wearing the runners but that it was "up to your scientists to prove I was there". The notes read that Mr Campion told gardai he was "entitled to defend" himself and if convicted he would "do my time no problem." Mr Giblin put it to Det. Sgt Healy that some notes in the memo written "by you and your colleague [were] not as a result of a question and answer that took place, but as a result of a question and answer that took place in your imagination."
Det. Sgt Healy denied the proposition. He further denied that the notes were written by him and another detective without the consultation of the accused.
The court has heard Deputy State Pathologist, Dr Marie Cassidy, give the cause of death as bronchial pneumonia and blunt force trauma to the head.
The trial before Mr Justice O Caoimh and a jury continues today.