Morris tribunal: A key witness at the Morris tribunal has denied making up stories of Garda corruption. Bernard Conlon has alleged that Det Sgt John White from Co Donegal told him to make false statements to set up the McBreartys.
John Whelan SC for Sgt White began his cross-examination of Mr Conlon's evidence yesterday. "You're making the whole story up," he said to him. Mr Conlon replied: "That is incorrect, that is very, very incorrect."
Mr Conlon says he was told by Sgt White to get caught late-night drinking in Frankie's nightclub in Raphoe owned by the McBreartys and to be a State witness against them, which he did in August 1997. He has also claimed that Sgt White told him to make up a story that two members of the extended McBrearty family, Mark McConnell and Michael Peoples, threatened him with a silver bullet at his home in Sligo in July 1998 in relation to the court case.
The McBreartys were suspected of being involved in the death of cattle dealer Richie Barron which the tribunal has since held to be a hit and run in which the McBreartys were not involved.
Mr Conlon had told the tribunal that he first met Sgt White on July 20th, 1997, outside the nightclub and he complained about not getting a meal inside. They discussed a garda they knew in Sligo. Sgt White had also asked him if he had heard anything about a murder in Raphoe.
Mr Whelan said Sgt White would say he did not meet Mr Conlon after that first night until nine months later when he first went to the court in Letterkenny.
Mr Conlon said no, that he met Sgt White in a car on August 30th, 1997, before he went into Frankie's nightclub to be caught on the premises. Mr Whelan said Sgt White would say he was on leave that evening and was at home in Ballybofey baby-sitting and that his wife did not return until 11 pm.
Mr Conlon replied: "That's his story. I met him at about 8.30pm to 9pm." When Mr Whelan put it to him that the evidence was confused or false, Mr Conlon responded: "There's nothing false, everything here happened. I'm not here to tell lies to the tribunal."