The man accused of murdering Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe has told his trial he believes he was mistakenly drawn into the investigation.
Aaron Brady claims, from Crossmaglen, County Armagh, denies shooting Detective Donohoe during a robbery outside Lordship Credit Union in County Louth in 2013.
From the stand yesterday, Mr Brady repeatedly denied having anything to do with the murder or the robbery that led to Detective Donohoe’s death.
He accepted he lied about his whereabouts at the time, claiming he did so because he was engaged in fuel laundering activity.
Under cross-examination today by prosecution barrister Brendan Grehan, he said those who claim to have heard him say he shot a garda or a cop are telling lies.
Mr Grehan asked him if he thought he was the victim in all this and if he thought he’d been mistakenly drawn into it. He agreed that is how it felt.
He also said he believed the media ganged up on him. He later said that is why he left for the US a few months later – he wanted to get away from it all.
Mr Grehan accused him of being a compulsive liar.
‘You lie easily and repeatedly,’ he said. ‘Big lies and small lies. You distort bits of the truth, and twist it to suit yourself.’
Mr Brady said he didn’t agree with that.
Reporting from Frank Greaney
