A 34-year-old father-of-two was beaten to death after he had too much to drink at a stag do, became “messy” and irritated one of the two men accused of his murder, a barrister has told the Central Criminal Court.

Lorcan Staines SC opened the case for the prosecution in the trial of Philip Disney (27) and Sean Carlyle (30) who deny murdering Vincent Parsons at Killinarden Way, near the Killinarden Inn in Tallaght on August 26, 2019.

Mr Staines said the deceased had been drinking for several hours at a friend’s stag do when he became “messy”, started hugging people and began ….read more

A man has pleaded guilty at the Central Criminal Court this morning to murdering a 72-year-old grandmother whose body was found in a burning car.

Michael Leonard (63) of Hillcrest, Glenosheen, Kilmallock, Co Limerick appeared in court for a brief arraignment this morning at which he responded, “guilty”, to the charge that he murdered Mary O’Keeffe at Doneraile, Co Cork on February 4 last year.

The court did not hear any evidence regarding the murder as Mr Justice Paul McDermott adjourned sentencing until December 14, when Ms O’Keefe’s family will have an opportunity to make an impact statement.

At a bail hearing last ….read more

Two gardai have described the life-changing impact of an ordeal in which they were forced to take cover behind the wheel of their patrol car for nearly 30 minutes after a gunman fired at them without warning using a semi-automatic pistol and a sub-machine gun.

One of the garda victims told the Central Criminal Court that it had helped him to speak to a colleague who had also been shot but he hopes that he will never have to do the same for another colleague. He added: “I fear that is wishful thinking though, the way society is going and the ….read more

(Pictured: Mr Stephen Silver. Photo: Collins)

A jury at the Central Criminal Court has failed to reach a verdict in the trial of Stephen Silver, who accepts that he shot Detective Garda Colm Horkan 11 times but denies his murder.

The jury were asked to consider whether Mr Silver was suffering from bipolar affective disorder at the time of the shooting and whether his condition substantially reduced his responsibility for the killing. Mr Silver’s lawyers argued that he should be found not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter due to diminished responsibility.

The seven men and five women spent just ….read more

(Pictured: Mr Justice Paul McDermott. Photo: Collins)

A Central Criminal Court judge has told the the jury in the trial of Stephen Silver, who denies murdering Detective Garda Colm Horkan, that they must use “common sense” in weighing the evidence of two consultant psychiatrists who differed on the accused man’s mental state at the time he shot the detective.

Mr Justice Paul McDermott told the seven men and five women that they are not bound by the expert evidence and they are entitled to prefer one psychiatrist’s evidence over another.

He told them that this is not “trial by expert, this is ….read more

(Pictured: Mr Stephen Silver. Photo: Collins)

It would be “unsafe” to convict Stephen Silver of the murder of Detective Garda Colm Horkan given the evidence that he was suffering from a relapse of his mental disorder at the time of the shooting, a barrister has told the Central Criminal Court.

Roisin Lacey SC, for Mr Silver’s defence, in her closing speech asked the jury to consider the evidence of consultant psychiatrist Dr Brenda Wright, who told the trial that Mr Silver’s responsibility for the shooting was diminished by a relapse of his bipolar affective disorder.

Ms Lacey said there is no doubt that ….read more

A lawyer for Stephen Silver, who denies murdering Detective Garda Colm Horkan, has questioned whether the prosecution has proven that the deceased was actually a member of An Garda Siochana.

Roisin Lacey SC told the jury that to prove the charge against her client, the prosecution must prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Gda Horkan was a member “acting in accordance with his duty”.

She said the prosecution had provided no explanation for a discrepancy between the date when Gda Horkan’s identification card was issued and the date on which he was said to have been attested as a garda.

Ms ….read more

(Pictured: Accused man Mr Stephen Silver. Photo: Collins)

Stephen Silver, who denies murdering Detective Garda Colm Horkan, was “filled with a burning anger” towards gardai and “chance presented him with an opportunity” to vent that anger when he met and shot the detective, a barrister has told the Central Criminal Court.

James Dwyer SC, for the prosecution, delivered his closing speech to the jury of seven men and five women today, telling them that Mr Silver’s defence will say that the accused’s responsibility for the killing is diminished by his mental disorder.

Mr Dwyer suggested that there was no evidence of how ….read more

(Pictured: Accused man Mr Stephen Silver. Photo: Collins)

Stephen Silver, who denies murdering Detective Garda Colm Horkan, was “building defences” in the immediate aftermath of the shooting and gave “shifting accounts” of what happened, a prosecution barrister has told the Central Criminal Court.

James Dwyer SC, for the prosecution, began his closing speech to the jury today on day 21 of the trial.

Mr Dwyer said that the accounts the accused gave at the scene and during interviews were “in sharp contrast” to what he said in evidence during the trial. Counsel added: “Perhaps two years later his memory had suddenly improved ….read more