Brady trial witness ‘told family would get it’ if he testified
Court told of intimidation claims
The fella is trying to live a life & people are saying he did something he didn’t do
A MAN who claimed he heard Aaron Brady admit to killing Det Gda Adrian Donohoe was warned his family would “get it” if he testified, the Special Criminal Court heard.
Det Inspector Mark Phillips said people who had spoken to investigators were concerned for their safety or the safety of their families.
He added 10 witnesses who made statements to gardai did not testify at Brady’s murder trial in 2020 where he was convicted of capital murder.
Det Garda Donohoe was shot dead during an armed robbery in Bellurgan, Co Louth, in January 2013.
The detective said some complained about being directly or indirectly threatened by associates of Brady.
DI Phillips told prosecutor Lorcan Staines that Ronan Flynn told gardai in a video-recorded interview in a New York police station in 2017 that he heard Brady admit the killing on multiple occasions.
He also told gardai US citizen Molly Staunton was present.
In January 2019 Mr Flynn told DI Phillips he was concerned for his and his family’s safety after he got a message that if he
“ever set foot back in Ireland he would be dealt with”. He said he was approached by an associate of Brady’s and a lawyer acting on behalf of Brady asked to speak to him about the case.
Mr Flynn told the detective he was “under extreme pressure in relation to giving evidence”.
Another man who gave a statement to gardai but did not testify said he feared for his family if he testified.
When gardai served a witness order on another man, he said he feared he would be killed if he came to court. He did not testify.
DI Phillips said Colin Hoey had “significant evidence” to give but did not attend the trial and was later prosecuted.
A man who told gardai Brady admitted to him in New York that he shot Det Gda Donohoe also did not attend the trial.
Daniel Cahill told Det Insp Phillips that he had been approached in New York by an associate of Brady’s.
Mr Cahill did not tell the man he had spoken to gardai and went on to give evidence.
DI Phillips was giving evidence at the trial of Dean Byrne, 30, who denies perverting the course of justice between April and June 2020 by conspiring to persuade Mr Cahill not to give evidence.
Brady was due to go on trial with Byrne but last week admitted embarking on a course of conduct intended to pervert the course of justice between February and May 2020.
Brady accepted he was responsible for recording the playing of Mr Flynn’s interview with gardai in New York. The
video was posted on social media during Brady’s trial with text accusing Mr Flynn of “touting” and claiming he had charges dropped in the US in return for his testimony.
In his opening speech last week, Mr Staines said Brady and Byrne shared a landing in Mountjoy prison.
Counsel outlined exchanges on a phone found in Byrne’s cell.
He said Byrne mentioned Mr Cahill was to testify against Brady.
“The young fella is trying to live a life and people are saying he done something he didn’t do,” Byrne is alleged to have said in one audio message in which he is also alleged to have offered to send transcripts of Mr Cahill’s statements.
Mr Staines said it is clear from the messages that Byrne knew from speaking to Brady when Mr Cahill was due to give evidence, information that was not in the public domain.
Counsel added Byrne also referenced a key element of what would later be the defence’s cross-examination of Mr Cahill – that the witness had been caught by Homeland Security in America with cannabis in his apartment.
In another message it is alleged Byrne told a person “he is doing that on Monday, bro” in what Mr Staines said was a reference to Mr Cahill’s testimony.
Byrne’s trial continues before Mr Justice Paul Burns, Her Honour Judge Elma Sheahan and Judge Marie Keane.