10-year-old McFarlane 'admission' ruled inadmissible

The Special Criminal Court ruled today that an alleged admission by former IRA leader Brendan "Bik" McFarlane that he was at the wood where kidnapped supermarket executive Don Tidey was held captive for 23 days almost 25 years ago cannot be admitted in evidence.

Mr Justice Paul Butler, presiding, said the court had considered a defence application to have the alleged admission made by McFarlane while in custody in Dundalk garda station in 1998 ruled inadmissible.