Witness says he lied to get out of garda station

A former heroin addict today claimed that he implicated a man on trial for firearms offences as part of a "deal" to get out of the garda station and avoid being charged.

Mr Peter Horan from Athlone told the Central Criminal Court that he was questioned for "umpteen hours" in Naas Garda Station about bringing stolen firearms from Athlone to Dublin in October 1999 which were allegedly given to the accused, Mark Desmond.

The witness said he implicated the accused because his nerves were gone in the garda station.

"Myself and the gardai made a deal that they would not charge me," he told the jury.

Mr Horan claimed that "every single one" of his statements were false and he signed them just to get out of the station.

He said he knew nothing about stolen firearms and only heard about it when people he knew were arrested in Athlone.

Cross-examined by Mark Desmond, defending himself, the witness claimed the gardai made a deal that if he made a statement they would let him go "and they'd press no charges".

"They conned you?"

"They conned me into it, yeah," Mr Horan replied.

"And did you ever get charged with those guns?" the accused enquired.

"No", the witness replied "and I’m not expecting any either".

Earlier, Mr John (John Boy) Horan told the court that he swapped a shotgun for heroin in Ballyfermot.

The shotgun [unrelated to this case] belonged to the father of another witness, Mr James Gaffey, who admitted in court to taking the gun without permission.

John Horan, brother of Peter Horan, said he used to "score" heroin in the park at Ballyfermot.

Asked by Mr Patrick Gageby SC what he got in exchange for the gun he replied: "an 1/8th of heroin".

The exchange took place between the witness and a man named in court as Robert Long.

"Is he anything to Tony Long?" Mr Gagbey asked.

"I don’t know" the witness replied, adding he only knew him "from scoring heroin in the park".

Mark Desmond (27) formerly of Lally Road, Ballyfermot, Dublin, has pleaded not guilty to unlawful possession of three shotguns, one long rifle and one 12 gauge shotgun cartridge with intent to endanger life at Lally Road, Ballyfermot between October 1, 1999 and February 17 2000.

The trial continues tomorrow.