Shamed garda denies link to Richie Barron's death
A shamed former garda today strongly denied any involvement in the death 11 years ago of Donegal cattle dealer, Richie Barron.
John O’Dowd, via a statement read out at the Morris Tribunal, rejected what he dubbed as unfounded allegations linking him with Mr Barron’s October 1996 death in Raphoe.
Mr Barron died as a result of a hit-and-run, which still remains unsolved.
Mr O’Dowd was criticised in earlier reports by the tribunal and later sacked from the force.
He has previously admitted drinking off-duty with his colleague Garda Padraig Mulligan – who was supposed to be on duty in Raphoe at the time – on the night Mr Barron died.
“I want to address one matter which is of grave concern to me,” O’Dowd told tribunal chairman Mr Justice Frederick Morris.
“In this module and previously, witnesses have repeated allegations that I’ve had an involvement in the death of the late Richie Barron.
“That allegation has as recently as last week been pedalled in the national newspapers and has caused my family and friends considerable upset and distress.
“It is an allegation that I deny emphatically and I want to assure you chairman, and the Barron family and the people of Ireland, that the allegation is untrue and without foundation.
“I want to call on those who continue to drag my name through the mud to cease making these malicious and unfounded allegations which have no evidential basis,” he said.
The tribunal has now completed its Garda harassment module.
It was probing allegations that publican Frank McBrearty Senior, his family, Raphoe nightclub and staff were the victims of orchestrated garda harassment over Mr Barron’s death.
Gardaí wrongly suspected Frank McBrearty Junior and his cousin Mark McConnell in the killing.
The tribunal will resume on December 3 for its final module – the conduct of the Garda Complaints Board in investigating complaints from the McBrearty family and others in Donegal.
