Cormac O’Keeffe

Judge Frederick Morris’ report on the flawed garda investigation into the death of Donegal cattle dealer Richie Barron highlighted some shocking mistakes and inadequacies in the inquiry.Judge Frederick Morris’ report on the flawed garda investigation into the death of Donegal cattle dealer Richie Barron highlighted some shocking mistakes and inadequacies in the inquiry.

THE first report of a tribunal into garda abuses in Co Donegal has still not been debated in the Dáil — 10 months after it was published.

Nightclub owner Frank McBrearty Snr was subjected to a campaign of harassment and intimidation instigated by gardaí investigating the death of Raphoe cattle dealer Richie Barron, he claimed today.

A former Donegal garda plotted to blackmail the county’s most senior officer by secretly taping a conversation with him over the IRA’s torture of an informer, it emerged today.

A DISGRACED former garda superintendent warned senior officers that extortionate phone calls made from a colleague’s home would haunt the force, it was claimed yesterday.

A detective sergeant today alleged another garda was casting him in a shady light before the Morris Tribunal due to a grievance.

A former garda today admitted at the Morris Tribunal that he had a conviction for driving without tax or insurance.

An alleged IRA informer who was given a garda bleeper smashed it because he didn’t know how to turn it off, the Morris Tribunal heard today.

A former garda broke down at the Morris Tribunal today as he revealed the reason he denied an extortion phone call was made from his home for eight years.

A disgraced former garda superintendent today challenged his former chief to quash rumours he was given a €6,500 bribe.

SACKED superintendent Kevin Lennon said a murder investigation was “a shambles” when he took it over in Co Donegal in 1997, the Moriarty Tribunal heard yesterday.

A sacked superintendent said a murder investigation was “a shambles” when he took it over in Co Donegal in 1997, the Moriarty Tribunal heard today.

A sacked superintendent tried to plant explosives on a Co Donegal farm in 1997 but was “outwitted” by his garda informer, the Morris Tribunal heard today.

The former head of the Donegal garda division said he was “sceptical” that an unreliable informer had been tortured by the IRA, the Morris Tribunal heard today.

The interview of a key Garda witness during the investigation into the death of a Donegal cattle dealer was carried out in an odd and strange manner, the Morris Tribunal heard today.

The arrest of a key informant during the investigation into the death of cattle dealer Richie Barron was a “charade”, the Morris Tribunal heard today.

A senior Garda officer in Donegal admitted he had considered arresting another member of the force who was under an “aura of suspicion”.

A garda “facilitated” an extortion phone-call which was later used as the basis to arrest a Co Donegal murder suspect, the Morris Tribunal heard today.

A senior garda in charge of the investigation into cattle dealer Richie Barron’s death said a local garda connived with an informer and a witness to frame the McBrearty family, the Morris Tribunal heard today.

A senior garda in charge of the investigation into cattle dealer Richie Barron’s death found it full of “skulduggery”, the Morris Tribunal heard today.

THE Morris Tribunal heard yesterday that a notebook discovered in a policeinformer’s bedroom had former Superintendent Kevin Lennon’s handwriting on several pages.

Frank McBrearty Jnr told the Morris tribunal today that gardaí wanted his father “to die” while he was being questioned in a Garda station about the death of cattle dealer Richie Barron in 1996.

The Morris tribunal heard today that a notebook discovered in a police informer’s bedroom had former Supt Kevin Lennon’s handwriting on several pages.

A DETECTIVE told the Morris tribunal yesterday that a Garda colleague accused him of "planting" evidence on a witness during the force's investigation into the death of Donegal cattle dealer Richie Barron in 1996.

SACKED Superintendent Kevin Lennon refused to handle evidence from the investigation into the death of cattle dealer Richie Barron for fear of accusations being made against him, the Morris Tribunal heard yesterday.

Sacked Superintendent Kevin Lennon refused to handle evidence from the investigation into the death of cattle dealer Richie Barron for fear of accusations being made against him, the Morris Tribunal heard today.

THE Morris Tribunal is investigating how Eircom home phone records containing vital information were erased.

The Morris Tribunal is investigating how eircom home phone records containing vital information were erased, it emerged today.

A man arrested in connection with the murder of a Raphoe cattle dealer was taken to a remote station to ensure senior gardai involved in the case could not “interfere” with him, it was claimed today.

A Garda informer who alleged three gardaí were involved in various activities designed to harass the McBrearty family was completely unreliable, a former detective today told the Morris Tribunal.

A GARDA superintendent refused to handle a notebook seized by his own officers because he feared he was being set up, the Morris Tribunal heard yesterday.

TALES, unprecedented and extraordinary, of death, deception and destructive ambition unfolded this week in a Donegal courthouse.

TWO men were identified as suspects in the supposed murder of cattle dealer Richie Barron because of false witness statements allegedly concocted by a garda, the Morris Tribunal has heard.

The Morris Tribunal has heard that an informer facing trial for making false statements to Gardai was asked to do so by his garda handler.