Morris Tribunal: A Garda witness had told the Morris tribunal his superiors were not justified in singling out the McBrearty family as suspects in the investigation following the death of Raphoe cattle dealer Richie Barron, writes Gerard Cunningham.
Mr Frank McBrearty jnr and his cousin, Mr Mark McConnell, became suspects when the death, initially thought to be the result of a hit-and-run, became a murder inquiry.
Sgt Brendan Roache helped to run the incident room. He said that two days after Mr Barron died, Raphoe garda John O'Dowd said "there was more to it than meets the eye" and recommended they contact the State Pathologist, Dr John Harbison.
Garda O'Dowd was not asked what he meant. The senior officers left to decide if Dr Harbison should be called. Sgt Roache said he felt they already knew. Until then, the investigation was into a hit-and-run. Sgt Roache had spent the previous day looking for a car belonging to a suspect. Later that day, he was asked to set up an incident room. In the days that followed, more meetings took place.
The tribunal chairman, Mr Justice Morris, asked him why the McBreartys were singled out for close investigation. "I don't know why they were singled out," Sgt Roache said. "Little bits of information, they came in, they were put before conference and that was the direction of those in charge of the conference."
The top officers present, Supt John Fitzgerald, Supt Joe Shelly and Insp John McGinley, said "the McBreartys' movements were to be looked at as a result".
"Do you think they were justified in doing that?" Mr Justice Morris asked. "No, I don't think that now, no."