Tribunal concludes that sergeant planted gun

SUSPENDED garda John White planted a shotgun at a Travellers’ site in Donegal and then invented a conspiracy theory that garda bosses were out to frame him, the Morris Tribunal concluded.

The inquiry also found three gardaí invented allegations against two other officers in relation to the shotgun in a bid to help Detective Sergeant White.

The finding against Sgt White goes against a court ruling last month which found the officer not guilty of planting the shotgun.

In its fifth report, the Morris Tribunal concluded Sgt White planted the shotgun at Burnfoot halting site in May 1998.

“The tribunal is satisfied that on the night of 22 May 1998, Detective Sergeant White planted a very old double barrelled sawn-off shotgun, together with clothes and cartridges, at the Travellers’ encampment at Burnfoot.”

Mr Justice Frederick Morris said this was done to secure the arrest of seven Travellers in order to enable detectives question them about the murder of Edward Fitzmaurice in Co Mayo earlier that month.

The tribunal found Sgt White was aided by Det Garda Thomas Kilcoyne, who acted as a lookout.

But the report concluded that Sgt White was the “instigator and dominantpersonality” in the plan.

Mr Justice Morris said he accepted the evidence given by Garda Kilcoyne, describing him as “both accurate and honest”.

Garda Kilcoyne told the tribunal that Sgt White had previously come up with the idea of planting the gun at the halting site. The report said it did not believe Sgt White’s statement that he went to the site prior to the search as part of a reconnaissance operation.

“The tribunal is satisfied that his primary purpose in going there was to plant the shotgun,” it said.

Mr Justice Morris said he was satisfied there was no evidence of any conspiracy against Sgt White by superior officers, including allegations that they put pressure on Gda Kilcoyne to make a false statement.

But the report did uncover a “disgraceful conspiracy” involving three gardaí to “pervert the course of justice”.

Mr Justice Morris said Garda Martin Leonard, Sergeant Jack Conaty and Garda Padraig Mulligan corruptly invented a story to provide a defence for Sgt White.

This involved inventing an allegation that two completely innocent gardaí — Garda Eamon McConigley and Garda Tony Moran — planted the firearm.

The report was scathing in its criticism of the men and said all three were determined to cause “as much mischief as possible” for the garda authorities.

Det Sgt White yesterday described the tribunal’s findings against him as “perverse”, given he had been cleared by the courts. He indicated would be looking at his legal options.

Main findings

Det Sgt John White planted a shotgun at a Travellers’ encampment in Burnfoot, Co Donegal on 22 May 1998

The tribunal rejected an alleged conspiracy theory by Sgt White that senior gardaí were out to frame him for planting the gun

Three gardaí conspired to invent allegations against two innocent officers in a bid to help Sgt White

Sgt White and Superintendent Kevin Lennon lied about the search warrants that were issued for the search

The seven Travellers arrested were unlawfully deprived of their liberty and were subjected to derogatory comments in custody.