A retired farmer whose car was hijacked by triple killer Brendan O'Donnell has told the High Court it was he and not a garda who grabbed O'Donnell's gun and pulled him from his car.
Mr Edward Cleary (74), from Loughrea, Co Galway, said he had expected to be shot dead by O'Donnell on May 7th, 1994, the day O'Donnell was arrested after shooting dead Ms Imelda Riney, her son, Liam (3), and Father Joseph Walsh.
Mr Cleary told of expecting to die when O'Donnell held up his car as he drove from Loughrea to Scariff. He said O'Donnell got into the back of the car with Fiona Sampson, a schoolgirl O'Donnell had kidnapped. O'Donnell then held a gun to the back of his head.
Mr Cleary was giving evidence on the third day of an action in which Det Gardai James Breen and Pat O'Donnell are claiming compensation for trauma arising from the O'Donnell arrest and subsequent events.
Opening the action last week, Mr Jack Fitzgerald SC, for both gardai, said they had turned down first-class commendations in connection with their part in O'Donnell's capture. Efforts had been made by the men's superiors to deprive them of their right to tell the truth about what happened.
Mr Cleary said that when O'Donnell saw his escape was blocked by Garda cars he ordered him to reverse his car. As he turned, he saw the rifle behind him, grabbed it with one hand and stalled the car.
After Ms Sampson got out of his car Mr Cleary caught O'Donnell by the shoulders and pulled him out on to the road. He denied Det Garda Breen had dragged O'Donnell out of the car. "I did it on my own," he said.
The hearing was adjourned until May 8th.