Protected witness Russell Warren told the Special Criminal Court today that he believed last month, that the State was "blackmailing" him into giving evidence against Mr John Gilligan who is accused of the murder of Veronica Guerin.
Warren agreed with Mr Gilligan's counsel Mr Terence McDonald QC that he made a habeas corpus application to the High Court last month seeking early release from Arbour Hill prison where he is serving a five year sentence for stealing the motorbike used in the murder and handling the proceeds of drug trafficking.
Warren said that another protected witness Charles Bowden prepared an affidavit to support his application. He said he thought the State was planning to "hold us until after the trials were over and not to give us full temporary release."
He told the court that it was his perception that if he did not give evidence against Mr Gilligan he would not get early release from prison.
"You thought the State was blackmailing you to make sure you gave evidence against the man in the dock?" Mr McDonald asked Warren who replied: "At the time, yes."
Warren went on to say that he had received a letter from Mr John Kenny of the Prisons Operations Division at the Department of Justice on January 4th this year in which Mr Kenny said that a "firm proposal" for early release would be sent to the Minister as soon as the gardai indicate a date for taking Warren into the Witness Protection Programme outside prison.
Warren said he was giving evidence because he wanted to give evidence not because he was trying to get released from prison but he agreed there was "not much trust" between himself and the Department of Justice.
He said he is due for release from prison in May this year and added: "Every day is a big deal when you are in prison."
He admitted that when he was first interviewed by the gardai in July, 1996 he told lies to them and he also admitted that he had got his wife to make a statement which was also a lie and which was his alibi.
Asked why he had implicated members of his family Warren replied: "I just didn't think that everything would come falling down. I just never thought at the time that we'd get into so much trouble."
Warren denied that he knew before the Guerin murder that she was going to be shot. He said there were a lot of mobile phone calls between himself and Mr Gilligan and Brian Meehan on the morning of the murder.
He also denied that he was telling lies about stealing the motorbike used in the murder and told Mr McDonald: "It was the bike, I know it was the bike."
Warren said he knew Brian Meehan was on the bike the day of the murder although he said he did not see his face.
Warren has told the court that he stole the motorbike used in the Guerin murder and that Mr Gilligan was in constant contact with him by mobile phone just before and immediately after the murder. He told the court that Mr Gilligan threatened to kill him and his family on a number of occasions.
It was the fourteenth day of the trial of John Gilligan (48), with addresses at Corduff Avenue, Blanchardstown, Dublin; Jessbrook Equestrian Centre, Mucklon, Enfield, Co Kildare; and HM Prison Belmarsh, London, who has pleaded not guilty to the murder of Veronica Guerin on June 26th, 1996.
Gilligan also denies 15 other counts alleging the importation of cannabis and firearms and ammunition offences.
The trial continues next Tuesday with further cross examination of Russell Warren.