The Chief State Solicitor has asked the Dublin city coroner to allow the identities of four more Garda witnesses to be concealed in order to protect their lives when they give evidence at an inquest into the deaths of two men who were shot during a failed post office raid in Lusk, Co Dublin two years ago.
Counsel for the Chief State Solicitor's Office, Fergal Foley yesterday called on coroner, Dr Brian Farrell to protect the anonymity of four key Garda witnesses when they give evidence at the inquest in the deaths of Dublin men Eric Hopkins (24) and Colm Griffin (33) by allowing them to give evidence behind a screen.
The request was made on behalf of Supt Kevin Ludlow of Cork city division, (who was appointed to investigate the circumstances surrounding the shootings) in light of, "certain matters that have come to the attention of the Garda which have made the Garda concerned for the safety of the four gardaí," said Mr Foley.
"Specific matters which have arisen have caused the Garda Authority to worry for the safety of members on the list of witnesses. We are not worried about the names, but if they were seen and were identifiable that would put their lives at risk," he told the court. The exact nature of the threat was not outlined in court yesterday.
Mr Foley told the coroner that there was no need to conceal the names of the four gardaí, but he said if the men were to become visibly known to the public, "they could be killed or injured."
The coroner had agreed to protect the anonymity of the two detectives who shot Mr Griffin and Mr Hopkins at an earlier hearing.
They will be known only as Det Garda A and Det Garda B when the three day inquest begins on September 19th.
Barrister for the Hopkins and Griffin families, John Byrne said he was objecting to the request at this stage of proceedings.
"We don't want a situation where all the members of the Garda Síochána, giving evidence at the inquest, are screened. This is a public hearing," said Mr Byrne.
"We need to know the nature of the threat. We weren't aware of any further application to be made by the State."
The coroner said there was no question of a perception that there was some threat posed by the families to the gardaí in question.
He said he would be reserving judgement on the matter and requested counsel for the Chief State Solicitor to furnish him with witness statements about the matter, which he (the coroner,) would in turn furnish to solicitor for the family, Yvonne Bambury.