Sheridan trial: How lie was exposed by extra question

Published on Thursday 25 November 2010 17:43

THIS is the key exchange between Paul McBride (PM), acting for Gail Sheridan, and Matthew McColl (MM):

PM: "Do you know the club, Adam and Eve?"

MM: "I have heard of it."

PM: "Been in it?"

MM: "No."

PM: "That is not true."

MM: "It is true."

PM: "You know it is a lie."

MM: "I have not been in the club."

PM: "Whether embarrassment or not wanting to tell the truth in compliance with your oath, you have been in that club."

MM: "Are you able to prove I was in that club?"

PM: "You have been in it."

MM: "I may have been in that club many years ago … the answer is yes, I have been in that club."

PM: "Why lie about it?"

MM: "I don't know the answer to that."

PM: "You accept that if I had not asked that additional question, the jury might have thought you were telling the truth."

MM: "They may have done."

PM: "We now know that in relation to that, at least, you are not a truthful man."