Garda witness testifies at assault case

A garda witness has told a trial she could hear moaning and screaming from the bedroom of the flat of a young Dublin man accusing four gardaí of assault.

Gardaí Sean O’Leary, Eoin Murtagh, Alan Conlon and Claire Delaney deny forcing entry to a premises at Basin Street Upper, entering as a trespasser and assaulting 21-year-old Owen Gaffney causing him harm on February 17, 2008.

A garda witness has described three garda cars arriving outside the Basin Street Flats on the evening of the alleged assault.

A student garda at the time, Catherine Patterson has given evidence that when Owen Gaffney's mother Fidelma asked to see a warrant, Gda Claire Delaney held up a piece of paper and six gardaí, including herself and the four, accused entered the flat.

She has told the jury that she heard moaning and screaming coming from the bedroom.

She said that Owen's mother became increasingly volatile, and at one point tried to break the glass panel of the bathroom door which was held closed first by Garda Eoin Murtagh and then by Garda Alan Conlon, who both deny a charge of false imprisonment.

Gda Patterson she did not see any of the guards carrying batons on the stairs.

The trial continues tomorrow.