Police ‘bugged’ house

Press, 3 February 1987, Page 8

Police ‘bugged’ house

As part of a police drug operation code named “Angie,” electronic listening devices, known as bugs, were planted in the telephone and the rooms of a house in Johns Road, Belfast, after a warrant was issued by a High Court judge, Mr Justice Williamson and a jury were told in the High Court yesterday.

Malcolm Robertson Hurst, aged 23, a beneficiary, has pleaded not guilty to three charges of supplying morphine — a class B drug — to Bernard de Hair and to Eru Lucian Hall in May of last year. The trial will finish to-

day. Mr Philip Hall appears for Hurst. Opening the Crown case, Mr Graham Panckhurst said that the charges arose from bugs planted id the home of de Hair in Belfast, where he lived with Vivian Clark.

Many conversations were recorded. Only five involved Hurst and these related to units of homebake morphine which were sold for $lOO each. The drug was handed over the same day as the conversations were recorded.

During one conversation, Hurst said that he had five units, but de Haire said that he was

short of money and wanted two on credit.

However, during a subsequent telephone call, after de Hair had been down south, he said that he was flush and could take up to $lO,OOO worth of the drug.

Hurst said that he had hone at that stage, but was expecting further supplies.

De Haire made one purchase from Hurst’s home in St Albans Street. Hurst was not arrested until July when the police operation ended and the bugs had been removed from the house at Belfast, Mr Panckhurst said.