Detective was suspected of directing ‘silver bullet’ witness

A DETECTIVE sergeant was suspected of having an unethical involvement with a witness in cases against the McBrearty family in Donegal, a member of an internal garda investigation team said yesterday.

Chief superintendent Austin McNally told the Morris Tribunal into garda corruption in Donegal that Detective Sergeant John White came under suspicion when they examined whether an allegation made by witness Bernard Conlon of a death threat was true.

Mr Conlon testified against the McBreartys in a licensing prosecution and then falsely alleged two men had threatened him with a silver bullet over his evidence. He later identified the men as Mark McConnell and Michael Peoples, members of the extended McBrearty family.