Key Morris tribunal witness Bernard Conlon faces cross-examination on his allegations of Garda corruption this week. Christine Newman looks at his evidence so far.
Bernard Conlon loved country and western music. He would travel far from his home in Sligo for a good show. Big Tom was one of his favourites.
This led him to Frankie's Nightclub in Raphoe, Co Donegal, owned by the McBreartys.
Conlon first met Det Sgt John White outside the club on July 20th, 1997, when he complained about not getting a meal inside.
This is the only point on which the two men agree. From then on, the evidence of Conlon and White diverges widely, with the garda denying all allegations against him and describing them as malicious lies.
According to Conlon, from then on he became drawn into a web of fabricated stories at the instigation of White, who wanted to set up the McBreartys.
The McBreartys were suspected of being involved in cattle dealer Richie Barron's death; the tribunal has found it was a hit-and-run accident and had nothing to do with them.
Conlon came from Co Meath and was a slow learner. He had various jobs, including an abattoir cleaner, but got into trouble and served a number of prison sentences. The lengthiest was five years for being a look-out for a gang which robbed elderly people in Kells. He moved to Sligo to avoid further trouble.
He claimed that White asked him to get caught drinking after hours in Frankie's and be a State witness against the McBreartys.
This he did in August 1997, and from then on went up and down to Letterkenny for numerous adjourned cases.
The illiterate and unemployed man, now 49, admitted he got a buzz from it all, "travelling in unmarked patrol cars" and White calling him "Det Garda Conlon". He thought "it was a bit of craic, like" until the McBreartys called him names.
"I was fascinated to be a star witness for the State," he said, claiming he received £200 in a brown envelope from White.
One day in court White pointed out two men and, according to Conlon, told him to concoct a story that they had turned up at his home and threatened him with a silver bullet in connection with the court case.
He falsely identified Mark McConnell and Michael Peoples, from the extended McBrearty family. They were detained.
Conlon said White also told him to make a false statement about William Flynn, a private investigator for the McBreartys.
In January 2000, Conlon confessed to the Carty internal Garda investigation team that he had made up the stories. He received a three-year suspended sentence for making false statements.
Conlon faces cross-examination this week. The most rigorous is likely to be by White's lawyer, who has pointed out his client was acquitted of the allegations in the Circuit Court.