A 30-year-old plasterer was killed in a hit-and-run incident some time after he was let out of a Garda patrol car which had been leaving him home in the early hours of October 16th, 2001, an inquest was told yesterday.
The three gardaí who were in the patrol car told the inquest that Mr Edwin Gaughan, a single father from Garryduff Drive, Castlebar, insisted on being let out of the car even though he was miles from home.
Mr Gaughan's "badly mutilated" body was found by a passing motorist some time later, nearly two miles from where he had been dropped by the gardaí, at a point known as the Halfway House, Islandeady, Castlebar.
The gardaí insisted that although he had drink taken, Mr Gaughan was not drunk or under the influence of drugs.
Mr Eoin Garavan, for the victim's family, said there would be evidence from a number of witnesses that Mr Gaughan had consumed a considerable amount of alcohol and was seen staggering.
Garda Brian Guerin, driver of the patrol car, said it was a coincidence that Mr Gaughan had been dropped at a point where Westport Garda jurisdiction ended and that of Castlebar began.
"I would have taken him where he wanted to go," he said.
Garda Guerin told the inquest that he was accompanied in the car by Garda Cathal O'Malley and Det Garda Christy Hyland. At about 1.50 a.m. on October 16th, as he drove into Westport, he noticed two men walking towards Castlebar.
After hearing a shout from one of the men, he stopped the car and reversed. Det Garda Hyland and Garda O'Malley got out and spoke to the men. When asked by Garda O'Malley who they were, one replied he was Edwin Gaughan, but the other became aggressive, saying: "I don't have to give you my f . . . ing name if I don't want to." This man, Mr John Greenan, was then arrested.
Witness said that when he drove back to the station he saw Mr Gaughan sitting on a wall. Det Garda Hyland told him to go home. Mr Gaughan walked away.
Garda Guerin said that a short time later, gardaí received a report of a man knocking on the door of the Westport Inn. Some time after 3 a.m. he drove to Mill Street, where the only person he saw was Mr Gaughan.
Mr Gaughan told him he had no money other than a few coins and he needed a way home. He sat into the back seat of the car through the already-open door, and said, "Drive me over."
Witness took this to mean Castlebar, as he knew Mr Gaughan to be from Castlebar. The garda said he drove on out the Castlebar road. Mr Gaughan's speech was coherent and he was able to converse freely. "There was a smell of alcohol from him while he was in the car but we did not consider him to be intoxicated," he added.
As they approached the Halfway House, Mr Gaughan suddenly said: "Stop, stop the car, let me out here." Garda Guerin stopped the car and said: "Will I leave you to Castlebar or where do you want to go?"
Mr Gaughan had replied: "No, I'm okay here." He was firm about this. After Garda Guerin returned to the station, a report was received of a man lying on the road at Islandeady. Under cross-examination by Mr Garavan, Garda Guerin said Mr Gaughan was not arrested. He was most co-operative. Mr Garavan put it to him that the evidence of other witnesses would be that Gaughan was intoxicated. Garda Guerin said he would not have considered him to be intoxicated.
He asked where the jurisdiction line between the Westport and Castlebar gardaí is. Garda Guerin said it was just before the Halfway House and it was pure coincidence he got out where he did. Supt Martin Lee later clarified that every garda had jurisdiction in every part of the State. The divisions were administrative.
Mr Patrick Durcan, representing gardaí Guerin, O'Malley and Hyland, asked if there was any reason to arrest Mr Gaughan. Garda Guerin said there was no reason. The inquest continues.