Limerick-based GP denies 'whitewashing' records
A Limerick-based GP who is also a medical examiner for Henry Street Garda Station, today denied that he whitewashed records for the gardaí.
The Special Criminal Court heard that Dr Daragh Little was called to the station to examine one of seven men who were being detained there.
The men were arrested when gardaí raided a house in Limerick in which a suspected meeting of the dissident Continuity IRA was taking place in December 2001.
Ms Graine McMorrow SC for the accused Christopher Dunne put it to Dr Little that her client had been assaulted by the gardaí during arrest.
She said the accused would give evidence that he had been kicked in the side of the face and in the mouth and had sustained bruising to the face and a cut lip which was bleeding.
Dr Little said he did not see any visible injuries of that nature when he examined the accused in the garda station.
Ms McMorrow then put it to Dr Little that he was a “swearing medical examiner” and said evidence will be produced that a doctor at Portlaoise Prison recorded injuries consistent with an assault when Mr Dunne was brought to the jail two days later.
Dr Little repeated that he had noticed no injuries of the type Mr Dunne complained of. “I did not observe swelling consistent with bruising” he added.
Counsel then suggested to the witness that “you are someone who will whitewash garda evidence”.
“That is not correct” Dr Little replied.
The witness denied he had made an incorrect report of his examination. Counsel then requested Dr Little’s notes of the examination but he told the court they had been stolen when his car was robbed.
It was the 25th day of the trial of the seven accused who have pleaded not guilty to a charge that on December 17, 2001, within the State, they were members of an unlawful organisation styling itself the
Irish Republican Army, otherwise the IRA, otherwise Oglaigh na hEireann.
They are Des Long, aged 62, Vice President of Republican Sinn Fein, of Shannon Banks, Limerick, Patrick Kenneally, aged 58, of Crusheen, Co Clare, Patrick O'Shea, aged 54, of Sir Harry's Mall, Limerick, Gerard ``Ger'' Brommell, aged 43, of Rostura Crescent, Woodview Park, Limerick, Robert McNamara, aged 59, of St Michael's Avenue, Tipperary, Joseph ''Tiny'' Lynch, aged 61, of Beechgrove Avenue, Ballinacurra Weston, Limerick and Christopher Dunne, aged 28, of Donnellan Buildings, Rosbrien, Limerick.
Chief Superintendent Gerard Kelly gave evidence earlier in the trial that in his opinion, each of the seven accused was a member of an unlawful organisation on December 17 2001.
It is the biggest ever trial of dissident republicans ever held at the Special Criminal Court.
The trial continues on Friday.
