The Morris Tribunal: A Garda superintendent said yesterday it seemed as though a witness, who alleged that certain gardaí in Co Donegal were guilty of misconduct, had been "prompted" when making her statement.
Supt Tom Long denied that he prompted Ms Sheenagh McMahon to list a number of locations where hoax explosives were allegedly placed by officers, including her husband Det Garda Noel McMahon, and Supt Kevin Lennon. But, he said, it appeared "some person" had prompted her.
Supt Long further admitted to giving Ms McMahon a record of the locations in question, which he had hand-written on official Garda paper. However, he described as "a bit unfair" Supt Lennon's description of the paper as a "prompting document".
Cross-examining the witness, Supt Lennon, who is representing himself at the tribunal, said Ms McMahon would testify that Supt Long gave her the list to help her "refresh" her memory.
Supt Long replied he would accept what Ms McMahon had to say as he had no recollection of the document, which was given to the tribunal early yesterday by Ms McMahon. He added he could not justify his giving of the document to Ms McMahon but suggested it may have been for purposes of "clarification".
Supt Long accepted that Ms McMahon had not mentioned any locations to him when they first met to discuss the allegations on March 16th, 1999. It was only on March 26th, when Ms McMahon spoke to Supt Long and Chief Supt Denis Fitzpatrick, that locations were mentioned.
Asked whether the chief superintendent told Ms McMahon the locations, Supt Long replied: "I am sure he would not have known." He added he had not seen anyone "in my presence" prompt her.
The allegations included a reference to Supt Lennon, Det Garda McMahon, and a Garda informer "mixing stuff", later described as fertiliser, in a shed in the McMahons' back yard. Supt Lennon suggested "stuff" was a word Supt Long tended to use and not Ms McMahon. Later in cross-examination, Supt Lennon said he wished to note "as a matter of vocabulary" that Supt Long used the word "stuff" in one of his replies.
Supt Lennon asked the witness whether Chief Supt Fitzpatrick had discussed with him a "false" report that the chief superintendent received on March 22nd, 1999, to the effect that Supt Lennon had held back weapons in an arms find to use them in further "discoveries". Supt Long replied he hadn't.
Asked whether that was "amazing" given the two officers were investigating similar claims from Ms McMahon, Supt Long replied "it looks peculiar" but there was definitely no mention of the report.
He added while he was not familiar with the report it would be "reasonable to assume" the source of it came from within the force.
Supt Long also denied knowledge of Supt Lennon's report into the investigation of the death of Raphoe cattle dealer Mr Richie Barron, in which critical remarks were levelled against certain gardaí. Supt Long added that he had never discussed Raphoe with Chief Supt Fitzpatrick.
He also denied an allegation that he told Ms McMahon that Supt Lennon had been transferred because of Raphoe, "and not over what she had to say". Supt Long said the first he heard of Supt Lennon's transfer was on the news.
Later, Supt Lennon asked Supt Long to why he appointed Det Sgt James Leheny to investigate the allegations when the detective had a discordant relationship with Det Garda McMahon. Supt Long said he was not aware of "major problems" between the two detectives.
