Former garda dismisses allegation

A former garda sergeant has described as “ridiculous,” suggestions that he used hand signals to tip off the IRA to the presence of two RUC officers in Dundalk in 1989.

Leo Colton has told the Smithwick Tribunal he was standing on the steps of Dundalk Garda station shortly before 2.30pm on March 20th, 1989, but did not see the RUC men arrive and did not signal to the IRA that the men were there.

Chief supt Harry Breen and supt Bob Buchanan were killed in an IRA ambush minutes after leaving the meeting in Dundalk. They were the highest ranking RUC officers to be killed during the Troubles and the tribunal is inquiring into suggestions members of An Garda colluded with the IRA in their murders.

Giving evidence at the tribunal this morning, Mr Colton said he had been leaving the station to go on patrol but had been delayed by a farmer seeking information on regulations covering tractors and trailers. But Mr Colton agreed with Mary Laverty SC,for the tribunal, that he had made a contemporaneous statement after the murders saying he had been called back by the station orderly.

It had been the station orderly who asked him to handle the farmer’s query, he explained this morning.

Mr Colton acknowledged that a former colleague Sgt Tom Byrne had made allegations against him as to his general conduct, including an allegation that he had removed a Garda file concerning Dundalk gaming arcade owner and noted republican Jim McCann.

Mr Colton said Mr Byrne was “a very cowardly, vindictive man”.

He said he had never seen such a file on Mr McCann in the Garda station and he did not believe such a file existed. He said Mr Byrne had “a vendetta against Jim McCann because Jim McCann wouldn’t give his son a job”.

Mr Colton acknowledged a complaint was also made against him for writing a reference for a Mr Brian Ruddy to assist Mr Ruddy in the running of his motor dealing business. Mr Colton denied he had been served with “disciplinary documents of any kind” in relation to the incident. However, he later accepted he had signed a Garda acknowledgement that an investigation under disciplinary regulations was under way in relation to the incident.

Ms Laverty said the disciplinary hearing was due to be held on May 22nd, 1991, but Mr Colton had retired on May 12th, 1991.

Mr Colton subsequently went to work for Mr McCann in his gaming business in Dundalk. Mrs Laverty said Mr McCann and Mr Ruddy were known to be associates of members of the IRA. Mr Colton said no one had ever made any such suggestion to him in relation to Mr Ruddy.

He also denied he had asked fellow Dundalk sergeant Finbarr Hickey to sign application forms for passports which subsequently benefited members of the IRA. Mr Hickey was convicted of offences connected with the passport affair and served time in prison. Mr Hickey has previously told the tribunal he had signed the passports as a favour to Mr Colton.

The tribunal is continuing to hear evidence from Mr Colton.