Tribunal examines deletion of phone records

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

Detective Sergeant Hugh Smith told the tribunal that the records were requested after Michael and Charlotte Peoples alleged extortion calls were made to their home accusing them of involvement in the death of cattle dealer Richie Barron in Raphoe, Co Donegal.

The tribunal heard two sets of records from Eircom showed no incoming calls to the People’s home on November 9, 1996.

“There was a problem there, they weren’t on the list, even though Det Sgt Henry had them on the list,” Letterkenny-based Det Sgt Smith said.

He told the tribunal they had an itemised telephone bill from Pat Doherty, which showed there were four or five calls made by his son, William, to the People’s house. There was also other information that one of the calls originated from the home of Raphoe Garda John O’Dowd.

The tribunal heard then a third set of records was offered which showed calls to the People’s home from William Doherty’s phone, but not from Gda O’Dowd’s.

“Eventually I think evidence was given from Telecom Eireann showing records which completely erased incoming telephone calls to the People’s for a period of time,” Peter Charleton SC said.

He added that agents of the tribunal were investigating how the phone records came to be erased.

Earlier, the tribunal heard pages were missing from a correspondence book logging the investigation into Mr Barron’s death.

Anthony Barr SC said the correspondence log started days after Mr Barron’s accident on October 14, 1996.

Sergeant John O’Toole, who was part of the investigating team, said: “It is a complete surprise to me I didn’t realise the pages were missing at all.”

Some pages appeared to have logged the period from November 1996 to February 1997 during which vital witness statements were taken and arrests made.

Judge Frederick Morris asked Sgt O’Toole if he would have noticed the pages missing at the time.

Sgt O’Toole said: “I have no recollection of things missing.”