A relative of Limerick man Eddie Ryan snr allegedly made a statement to gardaí implicating her partner and the father of her children in Ryan's murder, a jury has heard.
In the Central Criminal Court in Dublin, retired Det Garda James Hanley said he believed that Ms Michelle Ryan, the girlfriend of murder accused Mr Paul Coffey, changed her account of Mr Coffey's movements because she was told she could be charged with aiding and abetting him.
Ms Ryan had earlier told other gardaí that her partner was with her driving around Limerick at the time of the murder.
The prosecution alleges that Mr Coffey was the getaway driver for two gunmen who burst into the Moose Bar in Cathedral Place shortly before 10 p.m. on November 12th, 2000, and shot Ryan 11 times.
In an interview prior to making the signed statement, Ms Ryan allegedly told Mr Hanley and his colleague, the late Det Sgt Jeremiah Healy of the National Bureau of Criminal Investigation, "I will tell you everything I can. He can do what he wants. I am not going to cover for him anymore."
Mr Blaise O'Carroll SC, defending, put it to Mr Hanley that Ms Ryan denied ever making those remarks. He said that Ms Ryan would say that the interview, in which Mr O'Carroll said she allegedly "abandoned her partner and the father to her children", never took place.
The memo of the interview was not signed by Ms Ryan. Mr Hanley said he invited her to sign it, but she said: "I have signed my statement, it's the truth."
The jury has heard that the accused allegedly named Kieran Keane as one of the gunmen in the shooting. He also named the second gunman. The jury heard that neither of the two was ever charged with the murder.
Mr O'Carroll and barrister Mr Michael Maloney have told the jury that Mr Coffey will deny that he named any names.
The trial continues.