OMAGH WITNESS HAS NO MEMORY
Omagh witness 'has no memory'
A FORMER associate of an Omagh bombing suspect appeared at the High Court in Belfast yesterday to claim he has no memory of events about which lawyers want to question him.
Terence Patrick Morgan, who is receiving psychiatric treatment, took the stand briefly after being ordered to attend the trial of five men being sued over the 1998 atrocity.
"No matter what you do with me I can't remember anything," he said. Lawyers for three of the defendants want to question him about claims he made during police interviews following the Real IRA attack. During those sessions it was alleged that he falsely signed in one of the men, Seamus McKenna, as being at work on the day of the bombing. The court has also heard further claims that Mr Morgan - who worked as a foreman for Colm Murphy, another of the men being sued - lent his mobile phone to his boss the day before the attack. Mr Morgan is said to have later retracted some of what he told police.
McKenna's barrister Brian Fee QC told the trial the witness was claiming to be unwell and receiving psychiatric care. A specialist report on his condition is due to be completed by today, the court heard.
Mr Morgan was asked several times by the trial judge whether he wanted to give his evidence or wait until the report was submitted. Each time he responded by saying he could not recall. "My memory is blank. It doesn't matter," he said. Deciding not to have him give evidence yet, the judge said the specialist assessment might explain why he claimed to have no recollection. "If that's in the medical report it would be important to understand why that situation arose," Mr Justice Morgan said.
He ruled that lawyers for the defendants and plaintiffs should see the report first. Mr Morgan was ordered to return to court later in the week.
A FORMER associate of an Omagh bombing suspect appeared at the High Court in Belfast yesterday to claim he has no memory of events about which lawyers want to question him.
Terence Patrick Morgan, who is receiving psychiatric treatment, took the stand briefly after being ordered to attend the trial of five men being sued over the 1998 atrocity.
"No matter what you do with me I can't remember anything," he said. Lawyers for three of the defendants want to question him about claims he made during police interviews following the Real IRA attack. During those sessions it was alleged that he falsely signed in one of the men, Seamus McKenna, as being at work on the day of the bombing. The court has also heard further claims that Mr Morgan - who worked as a foreman for Colm Murphy, another of the men being sued - lent his mobile phone to his boss the day before the attack. Mr Morgan is said to have later retracted some of what he told police.
McKenna's barrister Brian Fee QC told the trial the witness was claiming to be unwell and receiving psychiatric care. A specialist report on his condition is due to be completed by today, the court heard.
Mr Morgan was asked several times by the trial judge whether he wanted to give his evidence or wait until the report was submitted. Each time he responded by saying he could not recall. "My memory is blank. It doesn't matter," he said. Deciding not to have him give evidence yet, the judge said the specialist assessment might explain why he claimed to have no recollection. "If that's in the medical report it would be important to understand why that situation arose," Mr Justice Morgan said.
He ruled that lawyers for the defendants and plaintiffs should see the report first. Mr Morgan was ordered to return to court later in the week.
Further Information
Publisher: THE IRISH NEWS
Ref: IN/0980
Published Date: 11-Nov-08
Related Images
There have been no images archived for this article.