A senior detective was unable to find out how a petty criminal and Garda informant discovered the unlisted telephone number of Raphoe publican Frank McBrearty snr, the tribunal heard yesterday.
Retired Det Sgt Hugh Smith was assigned to investigate an abusive call Mr McBrearty received in May 1997. When he spoke to the publican he discovered Mr McBrearty had received several such calls.
Between November 1996 and January 1998, the McBrearty family received 23 abusive or threatening phone calls, in addition to 11 hoax bomb warnings.
Det Sgt Smith traced one of the calls to the home of William Doherty, a local petty criminal and Garda informer. The tribunal has previously found that Mr Doherty made hoax extortion calls to Michael Peoples, a member of Mr McBrearty's extended family, one of which he made from the home of a garda.
Det Sgt Smith said he was unable to discover how Mr Doherty, who admits making abusive calls, discovered Mr McBrearty's unlisted number.
Det Sgt Smith said that code words used during hoax bomb warnings were not genuine. "The whole idea behind the calls was to create hassle and worry for Mr McBrearty."