Death threat claim witness hid from public, Tribunal told

A key witness, who falsely claimed he had been threatened with death by a silver bullet, has been forced to hide in public due to unwanted attention arising from the massive probe, the Morris Tribunal heard today.

Bernard Conlon, an illiterate and unemployed man from Sligo, claimed he has been avoiding public places after his name and face became known from court cases and the Morris Tribunal.

“With the way things is going for the last number of years, I try and keep off the streets and keep away from people as much as possible, because I am being blistered here and blistered on televisions and everything in the papers,” Mr Conlon said.

“That is why I get taxis even to go shopping to the Dunnes Stores and that, I do get a taxi down to it to keep away from people looking at me.”

Mr Conlon, who has admitted making false allegations over death threats leading to the arrest of two members of the extended McBrearty family, claimed he also got taxis out to a farm owned by Ben Maguire in Sligo to exercise.

Under cross-examination from John Whelan, SC for suspended Det Sgt John White, the witness, who has been claiming disability pensions and rent allowances for his health problems as far back as 1997, denied he was working for Mr Maguire on the farm.

“I am told to take exercise, I am a full blown diabetic and I am told to go out and exercise,” Mr Conlon said.

“Why would you chose Mr Maguire’s farm for your exercise area?” Judge Frederick Morris said.

“Are you telling me that you don’t do any work when you are out there? You don’t count the cattle?”

Mr Conlon, whom the tribunal has heard has a string of convictions for forgery, larceny, burglary with the last case dating from 2001, said: “I do look at the cattle and count them, but I get nothing for it.”

Mr Whelan said that even as Mr Conlon was telling the Carty investigation team he had turned over a new leaf, the witness was engaged in a further fraud a few months later which resulted in a conviction in Sligo District Court in 2001.

The key witness to the ‘Silver Bullet’ module of the tribunal has claimed he was instructed by suspended Det Sgt John White to stay in Frank McBrearty’s nightclub in Raphoe, Co Donegal after hours in August 1997.

Mr Conlon later made several court appearances at the behest of gardaí in their prosecutions of the McBrearty family for breaches of the licencing laws receiving around 2,000 Irish pounds in witness expenses.

He told the tribunal that the position of caretaker was placed on statements given to gardaí on prompting from Sgt Whte.

Mr Conlon said: “All my time with Sgt White and that, Sgt White was the man that said make sure to say at the top of the statement that you were working and we would be able to claim you expenses.”

The witness said he realised he would be prosecuted if he was getting paid on a regular basis and claiming welfare benefits.

He said: “I am on a disability pension for the last number of years as I am in very bad health.”

Mr Conlon said he had never given loss of earnings certificates to gardai, and Mr Whelan said the loss of earnings certificates came from Gda John Nicholson in Sligo to go along with the expenses forms Sgt White was sending.