MAN CLAIMS GARDAI STRIP-SEARCHED HIM

A Newry man whose lorry was found to contain IEP1.5 million worth of
ecstasy has claimed that gardai fabricated statements and
strip-searched him after his solicitor had left a Dublin station.

"If everything I said was taken down word for word, this trial would
have ended a long time ago," he told the jury at Dublin Circuit
Criminal Court. He also claimed that gardai had tried to get him to
say he believed he was transporting cannabis instead of ecstasy.

The prosecution alleges that Mr Declan Donaghy (27), of Newry, Co
Down, agreed to transport the ecstasy from England on behalf of a
Dundalk-based drug dealer on April 29th, 1998. Mr Donaghy denies the
charges.

Cross-examined by Mr Padraig Dwyer, prosecuting, the defendant said
that after he was taken to Santry station, Det Garda Peter McGuinness
told him to say he believed he was transporting cannabis.

"Saying I was bringing in 'stuff' was better than saying I was
bringing in 'Barbie' dolls or hash," he told the jury. Asked why he
told gardai that he didn't understand the words 'origin' and
'destination' when being interrogated about the drugs, he claimed they
weren't used in the transport trade. "They tell you 'you're going to
Sweden or Finland' but they don't say 'Sweden is your destination' he
said.

When it was put to him that he was being evasive and was trying to
give the impression he wasn't very clever, Mr Donaghy replied: "I'm
not trying to give that impression, but I wouldn't class myself as
clever, no."

Mr Dwyer later noted that Mr Donaghy understood the word "distracted".
Mr Donaghy replied: "Excuse me, Mr Dwyer, but I'm not entirely
stupid." The trial continues before Judge Frank O'Donnell and a jury.