I did not purposely lie to gardaí, says accused
A Meath resident accused of robbery and false imprisonment has admitted he lied to gardaí, but not "purposely", when questioned over whether he knew a van was travelling in convoy behind him.
Francis Cunningham was stopped in his Renault car by armed gardaí at the Enfield Roundabout on March 14, 2007 and arrested after the alleged robbery took place.
Mr Cunningham (aged 62) of Moyfenrath, Enfield, has pleaded not guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to the robbery of tobacco products worth €314,916 and the false imprisonment of Joseph O'Toole and Edward Postol in Blanchardstown on March 14, 2007.
He has also pleaded not guilty to possession of a firearm or imitation firearm and unlawful use of a mechanically propelled vehicle on the same date in the same place. It was day 11 of the trial.
Under cross-examination by Paul O’Carroll BL, prosecuting, Mr Cunningham said all his garda interviews were “truthful” but agreed that he did not tell the truth when asked what vehicle was behind him when he was stopped by gardaí.
“When I was arrested I saw them (gardaí) going to the van behind me. I never saw the van driver before,” Mr Cunningham said. “I didn’t want to know what was going on as I did not want to get involved.”
He told gardaí he “did not have a clue” how long the white Transit van was behind him.
He said he met the van at Texaco Garage at Ballycoolin in Blanchardstown earlier in the morning to let the driver follow him as far as Enfield to help give him directions to Daingean in Co Offaly.
“I didn’t tell a lie purposely. I didn’t want to get involved in something I wasn’t involved in,” he added.
He said he “most certainly did not” steal any cigarettes or commit any crime.
The trial reached its closing stages this afternoon and the jury have been addressed by both prosecuting and defence counsel.
The jury of six men and six women jury will begin their deliberations after a charge by Judge Donagh McDonagh.
