All Ms O’Sullivan knew was the name of the witness. She had no idea what the witness statement contained, and so no idea if what the witness might say in evidence was relevant to her client. So could she please hear the evidence? Just in case something had to be challenged to defend her client’s reputation.
It couldn’t possibly have anything to so with your client, Peter Smithwick told her. He noted her objection, but she wasn’t getting into the closed sessions.
Leo Colter’s barrister was allowed in. The Garda commissioner’s team too. Based on what I know of Garda tribunals, that means one or more C77s mention Leo Colter.
C77s are confidential Garda forms used to report ‘subversive intelligence’ (or ‘gossip‘) to Crime & Security, the Garda intelligence section. Ireland’s spooks.
That was Thursday.
On Friday, ex-detective Tom Fox took the stand, and asked about Peter Keeley (AKA Kevin Fulton), he said Keeley was a ‘spacer‘. Pressed later, he said Keeley was unreliable.
Keeley’s lawyers had no idea Fox was going to say. They weren’t there to challenge him.
Keeley, living outside the jurisdiction beyond the reach of an Irish summons, must wonder if it’s worth his while cooperating.
