Publican accused of fabricating intimidation claims at Tribunal

A retired senior garda today accused a Donegal man of fabricating accusations of intimidation and abuse to boost a compensation claim.

Former detective garda PJ Keating told the Morris Tribunal Mark Quinn’s motive for alleging he had been manhandled was greed.

The publican was arrested and detained in Letterkenny garda station in December 1996 in relation to the investigation into the death of hit-and-run victim Richie Barron.

Gardaí, who initially believed the cattle dealer had been murdered, wrongly suspected Mr Quinn of covering up for their prime suspect Mark McConnell.

“I know myself that I didn’t mistreat Mark Quinn,” said Mr Keating.

“I know who is telling the lies here. All these allegations are for one reason only. There’s a claim going in shortly. These allegations he hopes will stick. It will boost the takings so to speak.

“The motive for these allegations are very powerful and it is greed.”

Officers had claimed the men had a vicious and violent row in the Town and Country pub in Raphoe, owned by Mr Quinn, the night before the victim’s body was found by a roadside.

Mr Quinn maintains Mr Keating manhandled him during his arrest and detention, dragging him from the vehicle, pushing him onto the bonnet of his car, pulling him up stairs in the garda station with no shoes on and pulling him over a table, showing him bullets while another garda placed a gun on the table.

Concerns were raised over differences in the station’s custody record and statements which revealed Mr Keating was interviewing Katrina Brolly while at the same time seeking approval for an extension to Mr Quinn’s detention.

Mr Keating, who admits having little recollection of events, told the tribunal he only heard about the allegations two weeks ago giving him a distinct disadvantage.

“I know myself I do not do these things,” he continued. “I know what I’m like. You can ask my colleagues. I do not go roughing people up, throwing people over bonnets of cars.

“These allegations are being made up and I’m being singled out here. I’m a easy target. I can assure you these allegations are wrong. They are false. My conscience is perfectly clear on these allegations.

“I know who is telling the truth,” he told Judge Frederick Morris.

“I seem to be singled out at all stages. Joe Hannigan was with me for four interviews, yet he doesn’t recall Joe Hannigan. A possible reason is Joe Hannigan gave him a lift home. We were on good terms when I left him.

“I had no reason to believe 10 years down the line there would be allegations of this magnitude coming against me.”

Mr Quinn, who is taking civil action against the state, also claims up to six uniformed officers were present when he was interviewed, continuously shouting at him and thumping and banging the table, with graphic post mortem photographs pushed in his face.

The tribunal is currently examining claims 12 people, including many of Mr Quinn’s relations, were interrogated and intimidated during the botched probe in to Mr Barron’s death.