Morris tribunal: The Morris tribunal adjourned yesterday until next week when it will resume in private as the trial of a detective sergeant begins in Co Donegal.
The trial of Det Sgt John White, with an address at Ballybofey, Co Donegal, is scheduled to begin at Letterkenny Circuit Court next Monday, July 3rd.
It is alleged Sgt White handled a double-barrelled sawn-off shotgun for unlawful purposes, and that he, while in the company of Det Garda Thomas Kilcoyne, placed the shotgun at a campsite near Burnfoot on May 22nd, 1998, so that it could be discovered by gardaí in a subsequent search.He has denied the charge.
Last Friday, the High Court decided that secret transcripts of the proceedings of the Burnfoot module of the tribunal, which was heard in private, should be given to him before his trial.
Yesterday, the tribunal completed a mini-module into the wrongful arrest and detention of Martin McCallion in Letterkenny Garda station on December 8th, 1996.
He was one of 12 people arrested in connection with the death of cattle-dealer Richie Barron, who the gardaí believed was murdered. The tribunal has since found that Mr Barron was a hit and run victim.
So far the tribunal has heard seven of the 12 sub-modules relating to the people who were arrested.
Next Monday, the tribunal will hear evidence of the arrest and detention of Róisín McConnell on December 4th, 1996. The evidence, however, will be heard in private session so that the trial of Sgt White is not prejudiced in any way.
The sub-module is expected to take a week when another on alleged bugging of interview rooms is scheduled to begin.
It is expected that a decision on whether to continue to hold hearings in private will be reviewed by the tribunal as each new sub-module begins.
Three tribunal reports on the Silver Bullet, Ardara and Burnfoot modules have been forwarded to Minister for Justice Michael McDowell by tribunal chairman, Mr Justice Frederick Morris.
They will not be published until Sgt White's trial is completed.