Accused Real IRA member 'panicked' on seeing gardaí

A man accused of Real IRA membership said the reason he tried to escape gardaí on the day he was arrested was he "panicked", the Special Criminal Court heard today.

Aidan Grew (aged 47) - of Benburb St, Blackwatertown, Co Armagh - said he did not know his pursuers were gardaí when he was accosted in his green Toyota Avensis at the Co Monaghan farm of a business associate in November 2002.