Senior garda denies using false statement to force confession

A RETIRED detective superintendent yesterday branded as ridiculous the suggestion a false statement had been used as a catalyst in the hope of getting a man to confess to murder.

John McGinley told the Morris Tribunal he was not involved in the forging of a statement in a bid to frame somebody for Richie Barron’s death.

Garda Tina Fowley has claimed that while suspects, including Frank McBrearty Jnr, were being questioned she saw then Det Insp John McGinley appear to copy Mr McBrearty’s signature.