The mother and the wife of a Co Donegal detective yesterday gave evidence that he was at home on the evening Bernard Conlon alleged he met him in Raphoe, the night before Princess Diana died.
Det Sgt John White's mother, Angela White, said her son was at home on August 30th, 1997. She knew it was that particular date as her young grandson had rushed into the room the next morning to tell her "the queen is dead", meaning Princess Diana.
Mr Conlon alleged that he met Sgt White in Raphoe at 9.30pm to arrange that he be deliberately found late-night drinking at Frankie's nightclub, owned by the McBreartys, later that night.
Sgt White, who has denied all allegations, said he was at home all day and evening babysitting his four children, who were between the ages of two and 10, as his wife and mother were on a trip to Enniskillen, Co Fermanagh.
Yesterday, his mother said she and her daughter-in-law decided to go on the trip and left her son's house in Ballybofey, Co Donegal, at about 9.30am. On the way back from Enniskillen they all had a meal in a hotel in Bundoran, which was booked for 7.30pm. She said they arrived home at about 10.15pm, maybe 11pm.
Asked where her son was, Ms White said: "He had been at home. He was with the children.Rosaleen had arranged with John to stay at home that day and night to mind the children."
Rosaleen White, the detective's wife, said she had asked her husband to take the day and night off work and he did. "When this Bernard Conlon made these allegations about John . . . I couldn't believe it as I knew he took the day off and there's no way he could have met this man."
The trip had been booked in advance with the local women's group, she said. She had written the date in the calendar. She had driven to the car park in Ballybofey with her mother-in-law at about 9.30am, where they picked up the coach.
On the way back they stopped in Bundoran for the meal. They left there at about 9pm and they were home at about 10pm to 10.30pm. Some of the women wanted to get back to Ballybofey before pub closing time, so it was possible it could have been later, she said.