Ferris leak part of ‘dirty tricks campaign’

SINN FÉIN claimed the first salvo of a “dirty tricks” campaign had been fired ahead of the next election after a confidential garda report linking party TD Martin Ferris to the beating of a small-time drug courier was leaked yesterday.

Mr Ferris insisted he had never been charged in relation to the incident because he was not involved and there was no evidence to the contrary. He said neither he nor his party were involved in vigilantism.

The report related to an incident in Castleisland, Co Kerry, shortly before Christmas 2001, in which a man was abducted and beaten because his captors believed him to be active in the drug trade. Mr Ferris was arrested and questioned at length in March 2002 - three months before the general election - and a file was sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).