IRA trial garda 'unable to contact solicitor'

A garda witness in the trial of three Armagh men accused of memberhip of the IRA has told the Special Criminal Court he was unable to contact the accused’s solicitor on the night of the arrest.

Garda Gerry Farry, in charge of Monaghan Garda Station where five men were being detained by detectives investigating the activities of dissident republicans, said he attempted to call the solicitor for the accused Aidan Grew but was unsuccessful.

Counsel for Mr Grew has claimed that his right to phone his solicitor James McGuill and to notify family members of his detention was denied for a number of hours after his arrest.

Ms Deirdre Murphy SC, for Aidan Grew, put it to Gda Ferry that her client had requested a phonecall to Mr McGuill at 6.52pm but that it was 11.20pm when contact was finally made.

She further put it to the witness that the accused’s sister, Gabrielle Jennings, received a message that Mr Grew was in Monaghan Garda Station. Ms Jennings then rang his wife who in turn informed Mr McGuill whereupon he telephoned the station seeking to speak to the prisoner.

Gda Farry agreed that Mr McGuill had left a telephone number where he could be contacted. But he said he “could not get through on the phone number left by James McGuill”.

Counsel asked the witness if, as member in charge, he had looked for another number at which James McGuill could be contacted. The witness replied that he hadn't.

“Why didn’t you do that Garda Farry?” counsel pressed.

“I don’t know” he responded.

Asked if he had denied the accused the right to phone his lawyer, Gda Farry said he had not. Asked if was he requested to do so by a superior officer, he replied that he was not.

The three accused are Cathal Loughran, 27, of Friary Road, Clady, Co Armagh; Dominic Dynes, 32, of St Matthew's Estate, Keady, Co Armagh; and Aidan Grew,47, of Benburb St, Blackwatertown, Co Armagh.

The three men have pleaded not guilty to membership of an illegal organisation styling itself the Irish Republican Army, otherwise Óglaigh na hEireann, otherwise the IRA, on November 8, 2002.

The trial continues at the Special Criminal Court on Tuesday.