Father points out alleged attacker in court
A father of two who claimed he was assaulted while in custody at Letterkenny Garda Station today pointed out one of the detectives he alleges attacked him.
Detective Garda Martin Anderson stood from his seat at the back of the hearing room at the Morris Tribunal as Damien McDaid identified him from the witness box.
Waving his finger Mr McDaid said: “He is the boy that hit me, he heaved me up the hall.”
Det Anderson was criticised by tribunal chairmanMr Justice Frederick Morris in his report into hoax IRA arms dumps set up by disgraced former Superintendent Kevin Lennon.
The judge noted he, “could have brought clarity to events by telling the unbridled truth.”
Det Anderson was due to be transferred out of Donegal to Dublin last year, but it is understood he is currently serving in the Sligo area.
Mr McDaid has claimed an officer spat on his breakfast, that he was made to kneel on the interview room floor and that a burly garda jumped up and down on his feet.
He also alleged that a detective thrust a handgun in his mouth as officers tried to force him to confess to playing a part in the death of Mr Barron.
Det Anderson is the only officer Mr McDaid has been able to identify regarding the allegations of abuse.
But he admitted today that he made no complaint against any gardai when he was freed.
Adding that he did not want to hang around the garda station to complain about mistreatment, he said: “I wanted to get out the door.
“I wanted out of that f****** hell hole, I just wanted out that door.
He went on: “I was terrified.”
Earlier Pat McMyler, solicitor with PA Dorrian and Co in Donegal who visited Mr McDaid while he was in custody, said his client did not tell him he had been abused.
Mr McMyler said it was often the case that clients did not make a complaint, some, he said, expected to be mistreated.
“It’s what they expect sometimes, it’s what they don’t expect other times. It is really down to the person,” he said.
Mr McMyler said his client appeared able to deal with a tough interview.
Describing Mr McDaid’s attitude during a brief consultation in the station he said: “He was quite macho, I’ll be well able to look after myself, don’t you worry.”
He went on: “Some people, myself included, were I arrested for an offence I would expect a certain amount … I would expect to be treated with less dignity.”
Mr McMyler said suspects often felt tough questioning and verbal abuse was part and parcel of being in custody.
“Many people had been deeply offended and would fail to understand if somebody was arrested for rape and not called a dirty rapist,” he said.
“It’s whatever we see on ’The Bill’ I suppose.”
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