Publisher shelves plan for book on McBrearty
A leading publishing house has shelved plans for a new book telling how corrupt gardai tried to frame a Donegal businessman for a murder that never was.
Raphoe publican Frank McBrearty Junior was arrested twice over a mysterious death in the town in October 1996 and gardai later claimed in the High Court that he had confessed to the killing.
Tell Them Daddy’s Not A Murderer relates how Mr McBrearty, who was never charged, became the prime suspect in the death, which is officially recorded as an unsolved hit-and-run in garda files.
Mr McBrearty claims he faced almost daily garda harassment for years, suffered with his health as a result and was on the verge of a breakdown.
But legal difficulties have forced publishers Hodder Headline to put off plans for the work.
A spokeswoman for the publishers said it was no longer on their schedule.
“As far as we are concerned here the book is not going ahead,” she said.
The book had been listed for release in August but has been delayed as hearings into alleged garda corruption against the McBrearty’s overran at the Morris Tribunal.
Mr McBrearty declined to comment but insisted he had been paid a retainer for the work.
He was awarded 1.5 million euro in 2005 after suing the state for wrongful arrest.
It is understood difficulties surround the controversial murder confession he allegedly signed.
Mr McBrearty was arrested on December 4, 1996 and again in February over the death of local cattle dealer Richie Barron.
One month later and with no charges pending, lawyers for An Garda Siochana produced an affidavit in the High Court stating the publican had signed a statement confessing to the murder.
The Raphoe man claimed for years that the signature was a forgery but three handwriting experts have given sworn evidence at the Morris Tribunal into garda corruption that Mr McBrearty himself signed the statement.
British handwriting expert Dr Robert Radley said he compared the signature with 20 others from Mr McBrearty and found it was not a forgery.
John Lynch, a retired Garda handwriting expert, backed the finding as did specialist James Nash, who had been engaged by solicitors acting on behalf of Mr McBrearty in 1997.
The Raphoe man’s wife since claimed her husband thinks he may have been tricked into signing.
The tribunal has yet to rule on the issue.
The current module of the Morris Tribunal is examining garda intimidation and harassment of the McBreartys and is expected to last several months, eventually bringing the mammoth investigation to a close in the New Year.
