The Special Criminal Court ruled today that an alleged admission by former IRA leader Brendan "Bik" McFarlane that he was at the wood where kidnapped supermarket executive Don Tidey was held captive for 23 days almost 25 years ago cannot be admitted in evidence.

The former head of Garda intelligence told a court today that he would have arrested former IRA leader Brendan 'Bik' Mc Farlanefor the kidnap of supermarket executive Don Tidey if had come face to face with him.

Maze prison escapee Brendan McFarlane was arrested just hours before the Northern Ireland Secretary of State Mo Mowlam was due to sign his final papers releasing him from parole, the Special Criminal Court heard today.

A retired Garda ballistics expert told the Don Tidey kidnap trial today that he concluded that gunfire from two automatic weapons had been fired in the direction of a recruit garda and soldier who were killed when the supermarket executive was rescued almost twenty five years ago.