Publican 'traumatised by Garda captors'

Morris tribunal:A Co Donegal publican questioned about the death of cattle-dealer Richie Barron made no allegations of mistreatment by gardaí on his release from custody because he had been too traumatised by his "captors", his legal representative has said.

Mark Quinn, then a publican in Raphoe, was arrested on December 4th, 1996, for questioning about the circumstances surrounding the death of Mr Barron, who gardaí said had been murdered. The tribunal discovered he was a hit-and-run victim.

It was alleged there was a row between Mr Barron and Mark McConnell in Mr Quinn's bar on October 13th, 1996. Mr Barron died early the next morning. Mr Quinn said there was no row.

Mr Quinn alleges that during his 11-hour detention he was shown graphic postmortem photographs of Mr Barron and shouted at, threatened and twice pulled over a desk.

His counsel, Peter Somers, said this was more accurate than the "benign account" given by gardaí.