Gardaí will back claims bugging was widespread, says White

TWO gardaí are willing to back claims that bugging was widespread within the Garda Siochána, it emerged last night.

Giving evidence at the Morris Tribunal, disgraced Detective Sergeant John White said two officers in Cork wanted to support his allegations that bugging was extensively used.

He told the tribunal bugging was not just confined to interview rooms, but used illegally in cars, apartments and telephones.

Urging senior gardaí to come clean, he said more than 200 men - some still in the force - were aware of the nationwide scale of the problem.

His allegation was strongly contested by garda officials.

Sgt White, who is suspended from the force, has admitted intimidating two Donegal sisters in Letterkenny Garda Station in 1996 in relation to the death of cattle dealer Richie Barron.

In relation to the bugging, Sgt White revealed two gardaí, who were investigating a murder in Cork in 1992, had witnessed bugging.

“They can definitely give sworn evidence that the interview room was bugged,” he said.

“They saw the happening and heard it happening and they are prepared to come forward and confirm that to this tribunal.”

Sgt White added the officers had made statements to their superintendent, but believed there had been a cover-up.

Paul McDermott, tribunal senior counsel, said a statement had been received from one of the officers and would be followed up.

Judge Frederick Morris requested the identification of both gardaí.

Ken Fogarty, representing one of the sisters, Katrina Brolly, questioned Sgt White’s interrogation techniques.

He referred to the manual Crime Investigation Techniques (First Edition 1979), which stated one had to be conscious of the rights of any person in custody and new guidelines produced in 1987 regulating the treatment of persons in custody.

Sgt White said if every member of the force followed the guidelines, crime detection rates would be a quarter of what they are.

“Senior officers didn’t view these as new rules that couldn’t be broken,” he said. “That from now on nobody say a word to a prisoner or raise their voice to a prisoner. It’s not that I was stupid and couldn’t understand them.

“There was still shouting going on, there was still aggressive questioning going on and I presume that’s all wrong.”

Sgt White apologised to the women for what he had done and how it affected them.

He said tough interrogation techniques were always used for serious crimes, such as murder and rape.