Courts / Meath / Report

Protected witness told he would be removed from Witness Protection Programme if he refused to give evidence, trial hears

Summary

In the Peter Butterly murder trial, a protected witness, David Cullen (32), testified that he was warned he would be removed from the Witness Protection Programme if he refused to give evidence. Cullen said he had been contacted a few months earlier to return from his host country to testify against two men accused of the murder. When he declined, he was told he would be removed from the programme. He also agreed under cross‑examination to seek a written assurance that he would receive €10,000 for his testimony. Cullen, originally accused of the murder, turned State's witness over a year after the shooting and has implicated his former co‑accused, Edward McGrath (35) and Sharif Kelly (47), both of whom pleaded not guilty. A third accused, Dean Evans (24), failed to appear and has not been located.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Protected witness told he would be removed from Witness Protection Programme if he refused to give evidence, trial hears. Charges or matters: the alleged murder; firearms offences on the same occasion. Procedural stage: trial

When:

• March 6th, 2013 Hearing Or Sentence
• 2017-02-13 Publication

Case subjects

Places mentioned

Topics

Stage Trial Violent Crime

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Read the original CNI report