Morris Tribunal: A suspended detective who allegedly arranged bogus arms finds in Donegal has been told by the chairman of the Morris tribunal that he was giving the impression of "trying to dodge the question".
Det Garda Noel McMahon, giving evidence for the fourth day, was questioned about "decoy and attention-seeking activities" of Ms Adrienne McGlinchey, who denies she was a Garda informer.
Mr Justice Morris intervened as Det McMahon was asked several times by tribunal lawyer, Mr Paul McDermott SC, about sightings of Ms McGlinchey near a house occupied by IRA suspects.
He said: "Mr McMahon, could I say this, and I don't mean to be personal, you're obviously an extremely clever, able person, and you give the impression that you're trying to dodge the question. I'm saying that only because in fairness to you, you should try to address the question head on."
The detective also told of an incident where he pointed his official revolver at a fellow garda. This occurred on a night when he and then Det Insp Kevin Lennon, who is also suspended, visited Buncrana Garda station.
"We had a laugh and a joke, general slagging," Det McMahon said. "In what I see now as a very stupid prank, I pointed my official firearm at Garda Séamus Gordon. It was unloaded and I had no fear of causing injury. It was still wrong and I put my arms up to it."
The chairman asked him to explain how pointing a revolver at a guard could fit in to a good-natured discussion. "There is no explanation," Det McMahon said. "I had it in my mind at the time."
It made as much sense as if you took a mallet and hit a man over the head as a prank, observed Mr Justice Morris.
Det McMahon said the incident happened "because of the slagging" on the spur of the moment. "I sincerely apologise to Garda Séamus Gordon," he said. He added he had been severely reprimanded by Supt Kevin Lennon over the incident.
Asked by Mr Justice Morris why he had denied the gun incident ever took place when questioned by garda investigators, Det McMahon said he realised what he had done was wrong.
"I love detective branch and spent most of my career in it. I realised I was in total danger of losing my position in detective branch. I later realised this was wrong and I offered the investigation team voluntarily to make a statement about the incident."
"Are you somebody that would resort to a lie for your own benefit?" asked the judge.
"No sir, I corrected it."
"And that took you four years, 3½ anyway?"
"Yes sir."