Ex garda denies bid to shift blame over forged documents

A retired Garda today denied that he was blaming a dead colleague for forgeries to cover his own tracks.

John Nicholson, who was based in the Sligo Division, was involved in the production of false work certificates which allowed Bernard Conlon to claim expenses for making court appearances to testify against the McBrearty family.

But he told the Morris Tribunal that one of the false work certificates had been obtained by another member of the Sligo Division, Garda John Keogh.

Former Superintendent Kevin Lennon accused him in cross-examination of only mentioning the late Garda Keogh to ‘cover his tracks’.

“That’s not true,” replied Mr Nicholson.

But Mr Lennon continued: “It’s convenient to do it.”

“That’s not true,” replied Mr Nicholson again.

In 2002, Mr Nicholson pleaded guilty to three charges of providing false work certificates and was given the Probation Act at Sligo District Court.

By then, Bernard Conlon had admitted to making false statements against the McBrearty family in liquor licensing prosecutions and that he had never been employed by his landlord Ben Maguire, as the work certificates falsely claimed.

Judge Frederick Morris asked Mr Nicholson why he did not go to visit the landlord personally to check that Bernard Conlon was an employee of his.

“It was laziness on my part,” replied Mr Nicholson.

The Morris Tribunal’s Silver Bullet module is examining the false statements made by Bernard Conlon, claiming that he was threatened with death by a silver bullet by members of the McBrearty family.

Mr Nicholson told the tribunal that he was a lifelong Pioneer who had never drank and that he was a simple living man, involved in charitable work.

But Judge Morris became increasingly frustrated by his failure to explain why he was suspicious of Sergeant John White, who Bernard Conlon claims was the instigator of the false death threats and his after hours drinking in the McBrearty’s nightclub in Raphoe in August 1997.

“We’re both talking English and I hope you understand what I’m saying. I’ve asked you four times now. You shelter behind repetition. And I’m not going to ask you any more,” he said.

But Judge Morris later returned to the topic and asked Mr Nicholson about his claim that he had been “used” by Sergeant White to pass messages to Bernard Conlon.

“I’m only asking you for heaven’s sake, give me a description of why you say you were used for the message?”

After a disjointed answer from Mr Nicholson, Judge Morris said he was giving up.

“It’s clear that your skill as an interrogator is standing to you.”