WITNESSES MAY HIDE TO AVOID FRESH TRIAL

WITNESSES in the trial of self-confessed drug dealer Cotton Eye Joe Delaney
for the murder of Mark Dwyer in December 1996 may prefer to disappear from
view rather than face testifying again, according to Garda sources.

Gardai have expressed serious concern that some of the witnesses who
testified against Delay, who faces a retrial after the jury failed to reach
a verdict, last Friday, will be unwilling to risk the publicity of a
further trial.

These witnesses included former members of his gang, Christopher Curry,
Karl Dunne and Christopher Dwyer, Mark Dwyer's brother, who all admitted to
drug dealing during the trial. Delaney's son, Scott (23), who is serving a
sentence for Dwyer's abduction and murder, also testified against his father.

Garda sources say the trial was the first time ever that witnesses openly
admitted that they were drug dealers, even though they didn't have immunity
from prosecution. As such, added the sources, they may feel safer
disappearing from view rather than risk the publicity of another trial or
face being charged themselves.

One of the main prosecution witnesses, Ms Adrienne McGuinness, who had an
affair with Delaney, has reportedly fled her home in the East Wall area of
Dublin's north inner city and is believed to be in hiding. According to
reports, yesterday, Ms McGuinness said she was threatened last week during
the trial, and fears she will be killed before Delaney stands trial again.

Asked if she was receiving any Garda protection, she reportedly said: "Sort
of ... they allow me to sit in the station when I want." Although Delaney
is still in jail, McGuinness said she was still afraid of him. A spokesman
for the Department of Justice was unavailable last night to comment on
whether Ms McGuinness or any of the other witnesses had been offered
protection.

Delaney is charged with imprisoning and murdering his associate Mark Dwyer,
who was shot dead in a field in Scribblestown Lane, an area between
Castleknock and Finglas. Prior to his murder, Dwyer had been tortured at
Delaney's house in La Rochelle near Naas, Co Kildare. Dwyer was suspected
of the theft in Dublin in October 1996 of 40,000 ecstasy tablets due to be
delivered to the Delaney gang.

During the trial, Ms McGuinness claimed she was present in Delany's house
while Dwyer was being tortured there. According to gardai, prior to this
murder, Delaney had been unknown to them and was believed to have become
involved in the drugs trade only recently prior to Dwyer's murder. He was
believed to have been involved in a series of deals which went wrong and
lost him money.

This may explain why he reacted so brutally after the ecstasy tablets were
stolen.

Checked-by: Richard Lake