Garda didn’t think forgery was ‘a big sin’

A GARDA who was prosecuted for obtaining false loss of earning certificates for a witness in a prosecution against the McBreartys did not consider it a big sin when he did it, a solicitor said yesterday.

Retired garda John Nicholson has admitted to passing on three or four false vouchers relating to Bernard Conlon, to ensure he gave evidence in a licensing case against the McBreartys in 1998.

In spring 2000, when he had been questioned by the Carty internal garda investigation team, he visited solicitor Kevin Kilrane to seek legal advice.