Garda 'knew arrested man was innocent'

A garda admitted during the arrest of a Donegal plasterer over the planting of an explosive device at a telecoms mast that he knew the man was innocent, the Morris Tribunal heard today.

Geraldine Shovlin, the wife of Bernard Shovlin, who was arrested at Ardara on November 20, 1996, said garda John Dooley revealed he knew he should not be at the Shovlin’s home to arrest him.

“The first thing they said to me going down the hall, was we are here and we know we shouldn’t be here. We know Barney had nothing to do with it,” Mrs Shovlin said of her conversation with garda Dooley.

“I asked him on no uncertain terms what he was doing here if he knew Barney was innocent. He more or less said I’m just doing my job.”

The tribunal is examining claims an explosive device was constructed at a Donegal garda station and planted at the mast at Ardara in order to arrest a number of people.

Three men – Hugh and Anthony Diver and Mr Shovlin – were detained following the discovery of the device, which came two weeks after a container at the site was burned causing £50,000 of damage.

Mr Shovlin said he was not aware of claims his arrest was carried out to place pressure on the other two men.

“I was shocked for the fact I was arrested at all,” Mr Shovlin said.

Mrs Shovlin said the three gardaí searching her home appeared to be simply going through the motions.

“They went into Louisa’s room and they just moved the clothes, to me it wasn’t a thorough search,” she said.

Mr Shovlin said he was completely innocent and there was no justification for arresting him in front of his wife at their home at Ardara on November 20, 1996.

“The only problem I have is that I was arrested under Section 30 and I was an innocent person,” he told the tribunal.

The tribunal heard the device was constructed out of firecrackers and a pipe but was not a genuine explosive.

People from the rural area, who were opposed to a transmitter being installed at the mast, had also strewn nails on the road and glued locks on other occasions, the tribunal heard.

Mr Shovlin, whose house was located around three-quarters of a mile from the mast, said he was not aware of anyone going into his sheds or any glue being taken from them.

Earlier, Mr Shovlin questioned whether he should be legally represented at his appearances before the tribunal.