Gardaí ‘threatened father with jail’

A FATHER-OF-SIX was threatened with 10 years’ imprisonment and warned his children would be taken away unless he changed a statement to identify two suspects in a botched death inquiry, it was claimed yesterday.

Sean Crossan was assaulted, shown graphic post mortem photographs, had his mouth spat in and was shouted and sworn at by gardaí in Donegal investigating the death of cattle dealer Richie Barron, the Morris Tribunal heard.

The officers had maintained he took a £500 bribe from the father of one of the suspects in a cover-up.

Mr Crossan, 57, from Raphoe, was held for 12 hours in Letterkenny Garda Station in December 1996, where he claims the abuse took place.

He alleged Det Sgt John White assaulted him, stuck his fingers in his eye and twisted his ear, punched him in the chest and genital area and spat in his face and mouth, while Det Sg Sylvester Henry showed him graphic autopsy images of Mr Barron’s head injuries.

The gardaí denied all the accusations.

Mr Crossan told the tribunal the physical abuse he suffered affected his nerves and was to blame for a four-month trial separation from his wife Anne.

“I was supported by my wife and family for a while but they couldn’t put up with me; they couldn’t live with me,” he said.

“I couldn’t leave the house for six months and I lost two-and-a-half stone. I was nearly suicidal.

“It was my nerves — from the post mortem photographs. I never slept. I sat up all night. I never went to bed.

“I never saw pictures like that before,” continued Mr Crossan, who had since received psychiatric treatment. “It caused me a lot of nightmares for a while.”

Gardaí were investigating the death of Mr Barron, a hit-and-run victim who they wrongly believed had been murdered.

Electrician Mr Crossan, who worked part-time as a doorman at Frank McBrearty’s nightclub in the town, was arrested as an accessory after the fact of murder.

Gardaí accused him of seeing prime suspects Frank McBrearty Jnr and Mark McConnell in the club car park covered in blood shortly after the alleged attack.

Mr Crossan did not lodge any complaints during his arrest or on his release.

The Morris Tribunal is investigating claims some 12 people — many related to the McBrearty family — were interrogated, intimidated or abused during the botched investigation.