A garda told Letterkenny Circuit Court yesterday how he discovered a double-barrelled sawn-off shotgun during a search of buildings near a Traveller encampment in Donegal eight years ago.
Det Sgt Niall Coady told the trial of Det Sgt John White (51), Ballybofey, Co Donegal, that he discovered a holdall behind a door during the search on the morning of May 23rd, 1998.
"I looked into the bag, and there was a double-barrelled shotgun looking right at me," Det Sgt Coady said.
"I distinctly remember some Traveller children coming round the corner and saying that bag or that gun was left there, or words to that effect," Det Sgt Coady said. He added that he had earlier searched a caravan and Det Sgt White then shouted at him to help with a search of nearby sheds, and said to him: "You're always lucky."
Det Sgt White has pleaded not guilty to illegal possession of a firearm for an unlawful purpose on May 22nd, 1998. He was accused of planting the weapon the night before the search of the Traveller encampment in a statement by Det Garda Thomas Kilcoyne in June 2001.
Det Sgt Hugh Smith told the trial he attended a briefing on the morning of May 23rd, which was addressed by Det Insp John McGinley and Det Sgt White.
"He said there was a shotgun at the site," Det Sgt Smith said. "He said it wouldn't be in a caravan, but it would be found close by."
Former supt Kevin Lennon told the court that he issued seven search warrants to Det Sgt White around midnight the night before the searches. The sergeant visited his home at 11.45pm along with Det Garda Thomas Kilcoyne seeking the warrants based on confidential information that there was a firearm at the encampment. "He gave me the names of his two informants," Mr Lennon said. "He said if I had any doubt about them to get on to Commissioner Conroy." Garda Commissioner Noel Conroy was deputy commissioner at the time.
Mr Lennon said he "wasn't the easiest man to get a warrant out of", and he quizzed the sergeant to satisfy himself of the grounds for issuing the search warrants, and that Det Sgt White "got annoyed at me at one stage for asking all these questions."
"He told me to ring Conroy which I wasn't going to do at that hour of the night," Mr Lennon said. "He said Commissioner Conroy would verify these people as informants."