Suspended garda cites 128 'lies' of tribunal witness

A suspended Donegal garda sergeant today produced almost 130 instances where he claimed a key witness at the Morris Tribunal had lied.

In an effort to disprove allegations he framed a Raphoe publican, Sergeant John White insisted he was on holiday, at a firearms training course or at home minding his kids and not running a vendetta against the McBrearty’s.

Sligo man Bernard Conlon has claimed Sgt White set up a liquor licensing prosecution and concocted a Silver Bullet death threat in a bid to convict Frank McBrearty Junior.

And backing up the allegations of corruption, Mr Conlon has told the Tribunal of phone calls, secret meetings and offers of money all instigated by Sgt White.

But the suspended officer today began to outline in detail each one of the 128 incidents he claims did not happen. He said Mr Conlon’s evidence was intangible, uncorroborated and lies.

Sgt White has been accused of travelling to Raphoe on August 30, 1997, to organise for Mr Conlon to drink after hours at Frankies pub and act as a prosecution witness.

He denied the claim along with claims that he gave Mr Conlon £200 for his help.

The suspended officer said outside investigators drafted in to probe the allegations in 1999 should have done more to uncover the truth.

The father-of-four, who is at the centre of allegations of harassment against Mr McBrearty Jnr, said Mr Conlon should have been stopped.

“I feel that he should have been stopped there and then and said look Bernard this is lies,” he insisted.

He also accused Mr Conlon, who was described in the opening statement of the Silver Bullet module as a person of limited intelligence, of being able to manipulate people into doing things for him.

Sgt White denied driving to Raphoe to meet Mr Conlon to organise the frame-up.

“There is nothing whatsoever to corroborate Mr Conlon’s assertions in this regard,” he said

“If I had met him in the Diamond in Raphoe I would have been seen. My car would have been well known, I would have been extremely well known. It would not have been a quiet secret meeting.”

Sgt White said if he wanted a covert meeting Raphoe would have been the last place he would have chosen.

But Tribunal chairman, Mr Justice Frederick Morris, challenged the suspended officer’s version of events.

“Would there have been nothing to stop you putting your kids in the car and driving to Raphoe?” the chairman asked.

Sgt White denied arranging meetings several times.

The Tribunal is currently attempting to uncover who was behind an alleged death threat with a Silver Bullet against Mr Conlon which Mark McConnell and Michael Peoples were arrested over.