Garda claims witness did not look for immunity from prosecution in Rostas murder trial

Gardaí say the man who helped them find the body of a murdered Roma teenager did so of his own free will and never asked for immunity.

Gardaí say the man who helped them find the body of a murdered Roma teenager did so of his own free will and never asked for immunity.

They have been giving evidence in the trial of Alan Wilson of New Street Gardens, Dublin 8 who denies killing Mariora Rostas in 2008.

The disappearance of Mariora Rostas in early 2008 drew enormous public attention, but it took another four years before her body was found.

At the end of 2011, the Garda investigation was at a dead end until Fergus O'Hanlon came forward with information.

He claims he helped Alan Wilson move her body from a house on Brabazon St before helping him dump it in a shallow grave in the Wicklow mountains.

Lawyers for the accused claim his decision to come forward was self-serving.

They believe he first insisted on getting immunity from prosecution, but investigating officers deny this.

Immunity was eventually granted but from the stand today, Detective Superintendent JJ Keane insisted Mr O'Hanlon never looked for a deal.

He said: "He expressed his wish to come forward and I never heard the word immunity used."

The trial continues.

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