74-year-old man charged with withholding information over killing of MI5 agent

A 74-year-old man appeared before the Special Criminal Court on Thursday charged with withholding information relating to the 2006 killing of Denis Donaldson, a Sinn Féin member exposed as an MI5 agent. Patrick Gillespie, with an address in Glasgow, Scotland, was arrested on Main Street, Dunloe, County Donegal, on Wednesday evening. He is accused of possessing information about another person's involvement in Mr Donaldson's unlawful killing at Cloghercor, County Donegal, and failing to disclose it to gardaí between April 2006 and July this year. Detective Sergeant Barry Doyle of Ballyshannon Garda Station gave evidence of the arrest and detention at Letterkenny. Mr Gillespie's solicitor challenged the lawfulness of the arrest, submitting that a warrant should have been obtained before his re-arrest following initial release. Mr Justice Paul Butler dismissed the application. Mr Gillespie was remanded in custody pending a bail hearing on Friday.