I fled State because of fear of murder charge: Bowden

State supergrass Charles Bowden has told the Special Criminal Court that he absconded from the State because he feared he was about to be charged with the murder of Veronica Guerin.

Mr Bowden told the trial of John Gilligan that he became apprehensive after he made statements about his involvement in drugs and the Guerin murder to the gardai.

He said that after Paul Ward was charged with the murder, he fled to England with his girlfriend.

"I was fearful that I was to be charged with the murder next," he said.

However, after a month in the UK, he began to feel that his only option was to return to Ireland and co-operate with the authorities.