Former detective told gardaí not to inflame tensions, tribunal told

A disgraced former garda superintendent today claimed he ordered his officers not to inflame already strained relations with a family alleging harassment.

Kevin Lennon, who retired from the force after being found to have set up hoax IRA arms dumps in Donegal, said gardaí in Raphoe were told in 1997 not to stir up conflict with the McBreartys.

Several members of the family had been arrested months before over a murder that never was.

It is alleged McBrearty’s pub, Frankie’s, then became the target of garda harassment with scores of prosecutions brought over licensing law breaches.

But Lennon told the Morris Tribunal his men, including corrupt ex-detective John White, were ordered to take it easy on the McBreartys.

He said he had received assurances from White that garda checks were all above board.

“He [White] told me that there was nothing untoward going on and that he was not accusing the McBreartys of murder,” he said.

Despite the assurances White issued Lennon with a progress report in mid-1997 which included 10 prosecutions for alleged licensing breaches at Frankie’s - eight of them being brought by White.

Under cross-examination, Mr Lennon was asked if he thought this number of prosecutions against one pub was extraordinary or unusual, he said: “Yes I suppose it was.”

But Lennon insisted he had told White he wanted to see fair policing.

White denied any wrongdoing.

Lennon said he issued White with a series of orders for policing Raphoe. Frankie’s would be checked only once a night; officers were not allowed to remain on the premises; gardai must not pass comments to any of the McBreartys and they must avoid conflict.

Lennon said he was often contacted by Frank McBrearty Senior complaining about the garda checks and added: “His tone was not very pleasant”. Lennon said he did not accept Mr McBrearty’s claims at the time that he was being abused.

“I did not accept it because there was certain files with me that said he was breaking the law,” Lennon said.

He also said he got assurances from Mr McBrearty not to stir up bad feelings with gardaí.

“He was going to show respect for the gardaí and assist the guards. There was going to be one inspection per night and if he was caught in breach of the law he was going to accept his punishment,” Lennon said.