A HOWTH haulage contractor accused of having explosives told the Special Criminal Court yesterday he signed an admission because gardai threatened to arrest and charge his wife and two daughters. Mr Seamus McLoughlin said: "I would not have allowed that to happen to my own family."
He was giving evidence in a "trial within a trial" to decide on the admissibility of alleged statements made by him while in Garda custody. The court has heard that Mr McLoughlin allegedly told gardai he had loaded his truck at Bettystown with fertiliser for use in explosives.
The court has also heard that gardai found 28 bags of crushed fertiliser and five bags of the fertiliser in granule form at a disused fish shop in Howth. Mr Eamonn Flanagan (42), of The Square, Skerries, Mr Seamus McLoughlin (67), of Balkill Park, Howth and Mr Michael Blount (48), of Bath Road, Balbriggan, have pleaded not guilty to having an explosive substance with intent to endanger life or to enable another person to do so at West Pier, Howth, Co Dublin, on January 5th last year.
A fourth man Mr Joseph Dillon (53), of Greenlawns, Skerries, has pleaded not guilty to having an explosive substance with intent to endanger life or to enable another person to do so at Windswept, Golf Links Road, Bettystown, Co Meath on January 5th last year.
Mr Seamus McLoughlin told his counsel, Mr Anthony Sammon SC, that during interviews at Santry Garda station on January 8th and 9th last year he replied: "I refuse to answer any questions" or remained silent when questioned by gardai. He said he did not make a statement to detectives on January 9th and said the statement was "dictated and written by Det Garda Hanley".
He agreed that he had signed the statement in four places and said it was because Det Garda Hanley threatened to charge his wife and two daughters.
The trial resumes next Tuesday.
