IRA membership trial told of arrest delay
A garda told the Special Criminal Court today that he waited nearly 10 minutes to arrest a Cork chef accused of IRA membership because he wanted to make sure he had stopped the right men.
Detective Sergeant Rory Corcoran was giving evidence in the trial of Don Bullman (aged 32) of Fernwood Crescent, Leghanamore, Wilton, Cork, who has denied membership of an illegal organisation styling itself the Irish Republican Army, otherwise Óglaigh na hÉireann, otherwise the IRA, on February 16, 2005.
Det. Sgt Corcoran told prosecuting counsel, Mr George Birmingham SC, that he was on duty at Heuston Station as part of Garda investigations into the possible exchange of IRA funds, including proceeds from the £26m (€39.5m) Northern Bank robbery in Belfast in 2004.
The court has heard the accused was found to be in possession of a washing powder box containing €94,250 in cash and during a follow-up search at his home in Cork gardaí found an investment bond in his name for €50,000 and a sweet tin containing £870 (€1,300).
Det. Sgt Corcoran said there was a gap of nearly 10 minutes from the time he stopped the accused to when he arrested him because he wanted to "establish the identities" of the three men travelling in the car.
Under cross-examination by defence counsel, Mr Conor Devally SC, Det. Sgt Corcoran denied he had taken the Daz box out of the car and put it on the ground.
He admitted he had taken it out of the bag while performing a "cursory search" but said he would have put the box back in the bag like he had found it.
Mr Devally SC asked Detective Garda Fergal O’Brien, who arrived at the scene some minutes after Bullman was initially stopped, if he agreed with the defence’s case that the "arrests only swung into action when other gardai came onto the scene".
Det. Gda O’Brien said he "couldn’t answer" that question.
Sergeant Marilyn Brosnan denied to Mr Birmingham SC that she and her colleagues had mistakenly thought they were supposed to be in Connolly Station rather than Heuston and that this was the reason for the delay.
She also denied Det. Sgt Corcoran gave out to them for failing to be there earlier.
She said she had been driving around Phoenix Park, as instructed, awaiting further directions.
The trial continues tomorrow.
