Witness denies bid to 'stitch up' suspect

A witness at the Morris tribunal today denied changing statements to “stitch up” a man over the death of cattle dealer Richie Barron.

Eugene Gamble was working in the Suile Tavern in Raphoe, Co Donegal on the night of Mr Barron’s death in October 1996.

When he initially told gardaí in 1996 about the night, he said he had to break up a row between Richie Barron and another local man, Manny Hegarty, who had slapped him in the face.

He offered Mr Barron a lift home but the 55-year-old cattle dealer left the pub on his own.

Mr Gamble finished work at around 1am and went into a local café for a bite to eat. He said in his statement he did not see any sign of Mark McConnell, who had become a suspect in the Garda investigation.

But Mr Gamble gave a statement in 1997 which placed Mr McConnell in the café with his wife at 12.50am.

This conflicted with Mr McConnell’s account that he had been in a local bar at that time and that he did not visit the café until much later.

In a further statement two months later, he said he also saw two other friends of Mr McConnell come in as well.

Mr Gamble denied he was trying to “stitch up” Mr McConnell after having rows with a relative of his, Frank McBrearty Junior, who was also a suspect in the death of Richie Barron.

He was vague when asked if he had fought with Frank McBrearty Junior.

“We never really seen eye to eye. We had words several times.”

Judge Frederick Morris grew impatient when it was revealed that Mr Gamble had more than 10 rows with Frank McBrearty junior.

“Why are you so slow to tell us all this? You do remember it now, don’t you, that you had a falling out with the McBreartys? Get a grip of yourself like a good man.”

Tribunal barrister Anthony Barr asked Mr Gamble about his friend, Liam Sweeney, who had visited the café in Raphoe with him on the night of Mr Barron’s death.

Mr Sweeney made a statement a month later that he didn’t see Mark McConnell in the small café. Yet in December 1997, he told gardai in a new statement that he had seen Mr McConnell in the café with his wife and that the back of his trousers was wet.

Anthony Barr asked Mr Gamble if he and Mr Sweeney were acting together to stitch up Mr McConnell by changing their statements

“I never changed no statements,” said Mr Gamble.