New witness in McCartney case
By Stephen Breen
11 June 2006
The sisters of murder victim Robert McCartney last night claimed a new witness had come forward with evidence about events on the night of the dad-of-two’s killing.
Robert’s sister, Catherine, told Sunday Life her family received new information last week which contradicts the version of events given by Provo Gerard ‘Jock’ Davison, who has always denied any connection with the murder of the 33-year-old outside Magennis’ Bar, in Belfast city centre.
According to the family, the fresh details were provided by a new witness who is set to make a statement to the police.
Catherine McCartney told Sunday Life: “This witness has inside knowledge of what happened to my brother and we are very encouraged by it.
“It totally contradicts what Jock Davison said about Robert’s killing and we are hoping the police will act on this new information.
“The witness is also prepared to make a statement which contradicts the statements already made by people who were in the bar that night.
“We think the wall of silence is now beginning to crumble and we are determined to do all we can to get more people into court for my brother’s murder.”
Two months after Mr McCartney’s murder, Davison went public in a major newspaper interview giving a detailed account of events in the bar leading up to the murder. He said he had been injured in an altercation but had left the bar for treatment to the injury before Mr McCartney was attacked.
Davison’s solicitor, Philip Breen, issued a statement on his client’s behalf, saying: “If the McCartney family are so interested in going through the legal channels, why are they running to the press?
“My client and I are extremely cynical of this so-called emergence of a witness. If this witness contradicts Mr Davison’s account it also contradicts dozens of other accounts which exonerate him of any involvement in Robert’s murder.”
Catherine also told how the family had received new information about the lengths Robert’s killers went to protect themselves just a few days after his killing.
She said Robert’s killers had sent women to pose as mourners to glean information from the family for the IRA. “We thought these women were paying their respects to a neighbour and friend. How could they stoop so low?”
