Superintendent fought fiercely to defend his job and reputation

Supt Kevin Lennon, representing himself, fought fiercely throughout the Morris Tribunal to defend his reputation and his job, …

Supt Kevin Lennon, representing himself, fought fiercely throughout the Morris Tribunal to defend his reputation and his job, but lost on both counts.

In his interim report, Mr Justice Morris found that, along with Det Garda Noel McMahon, he promoted Ms Adrienne McGlinchey as an IRA informer when she clearly was not. He was appointed to supervise her handling as an "IRA informant" in May 1993.

In his report on the first module of the tribunal, Mr Justice Morris said that Det Garda McMahon and Supt Lennon saw Ms McGlinchey as "an almost unique opportunity" to further their careers. He described them as "joint conspirators" in this enterprise.

Examples of the activities in which he found them to have been involved included presenting fertiliser found near Ardchicken as an explosive, when it could not have been detonated, and orchestrating the interception of fertiliser and icing sugar in Bridgend.

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When finds of explosives were made, Supt Lennon and Det Garda McMahon claimed they were as a result of information obtained from her. They were then "put down to the credit of those handling her as blows against a terrorist organisation".

Supt Lennon became a garda in 1975 and was first stationed in Buncrana, Co Donegal. He was stationed at different locations around the county and and rose through the ranks until appointed superintendent in 1996. He was an inspector during the time under investigation by the Morris Tribunal. He was suspended by the Garda Síochána in August 2001.

His conduct was criticised by the Carty report into the conduct of certain members of Garda Síochána in Donegal. This report was sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions and, while a small number of prosecutions have ensued, none was taken against Supt Lennon.

He unsuccessfully took legal action in the High Court to have his legal costs in the Morris Tribunal paid, and, also unsuccessfully, sought to have his costs paid by the tribunal.

As a result of his failure to get his costs, he represented himself. He also vigorously contested the allegations against him, including the findings of Mr Justice Morris in his report on the first module. In his final presentation to the tribunal, he claimed he was "singled out as the fall guy, the rogue cop who brought upon or visited upon the division of Donegal the problems that you now have to deal with".