Journalist Paul Williams has denied being used as a puppet by senior gardaí to smear Maurice McCabe.
Mr Williams wrote a series of articles after meeting ‘Ms D,’ who made an allegation of abuse against garda whistleblower, Maurice McCabe.
The Disclosures Tribunal has heard details of the DPP’s decision not to prosecute, which Mr Williams says he did not have at the time of writing.
Paul Williams met Ms D in March 2014, after the meeting was organised by Ms D’s father - a garda, and a superintendent friend of his.
This morning, it was put to Mr Williams that he was being used by gardaí as a puppet to smear Sergeant Maurice McCabe – a suggestion he vehemently denied.
Mr Williams also said he did not consult with any senior garda before interviewing Ms D, and that he never had any access to a garda file of the investigation.
In 2006, Ms D accused Sergeant McCabe of sexual assault - but the DPP found no basis for prosecution.
In a letter read out at the Tribunal, the DPP said even if there was not a doubt as to the credibility of Ms D, the incident described does not constitute a sexual assault, or indeed an assault.
Mr Williams said he had not seen that letter, and would not have written the articles if he had.
Counsel for Maurice McCabe Michael McDowell also accused Mr Williams of orchestrating events in a series of articles - which Mr Williams rejected.
Mr Williams said he corroborated Ms D’s story with Superintendent Dave Taylor from the Garda Press Office - and that is why he had not contacted Sgt. McCabe for his side of events.
Mr McDowell said the details Ms D gave to Mr Williams were quite different to those reported to gardaí in 2006.
