Suspended garda claims barrister is out to ruin his name

A suspended senior garda today accused a barrister of using a public tribunal to destroy his name.

Det Sgt John White told the Morris Tribunal claims of intimidation and abuse by an electrician was a pit-stop on the way to the High Court.

Sean Crossan, from Raphoe, was held for 12 hours in Letterkenny Garda Station in December 1996, where he claims a catalogue of abuse took place.

The 57-year-old has alleged officers abused him during his arrest showing him graphic post mortem photographs, spitting on him and refusing him medical care.

He alleges suspended Det Sgt White assaulted him, sticking his fingers in his eye and ear and twisting them, punching him in the chest and genital area and spitting in his face and mouth.

He also claims gardaí accused him of taking a IR£500 bribe from the father of a suspect in the Richie Barron death probe to cover-up and threatened to have his six young children taken in to care.

Denying all the accusations, Det Sgt White accused Ken Fogarty, senior counsel for Mr Crossan, of destroying his name in the media and making him out to be a bad person who would take someone’s children away.

Mr Fogarty said: “It gives me no pleasure at all to put things that are hard to a man sitting in the witness box pleading that he is innocent. But it gives me no pleasure at all to take instructions at all from a man, and several men, and women, and children, who have been up to this tribunal and to hear the effects, the devastating effects, that behaviour like yours has had on their family.”

Det Sgt White replied: “I reject that in relation to Mr Crossan.”

The suspended garda accused Mr Crossan of lying continuously over the last 10 years.

Describing Mr Crossan during his detention, he added: “He was never prone to aggression. I got on quite well with him.”

The Morris Tribunal is currently hearing claims that some 12 people were intimidated, interrogated or assaulted by officers investigating the botched probe surrounding Mr Barron’s death. Gardaí believed the cattle dealer had been murdered. It was later found he was the victim of a hit-and-run.

Mr Fogarty has represented a number of the complainants during the tribunal. The majority of those are taking civil action in the High Court against the state.

Det Sgt White is due to stand trial next month for illegal possession of a firearm.

The charge relates to the discovery of a sawn-off shotgun at a traveller halting site in Burnfoot, Donegal. The incident has already been investigated by the tribunal but its findings will be held back pending the outcome of the trial.