A father and stepson have appeared in court charged in connection with the murder of 51-year-old biker Andrew O'Donoghue, who was shot dead in Co Limerick last Saturday.
A third man also appeared before a special sitting of Limerick District Court, charged in connection with a shooting the following day, which is alleged to have been in “direct retaliation” for Mr O’Donoghue’s murder.
Alan McNamara (48) of Mountfune, Murroe, Co Limerick, is charged with the murder of Mr O'Donoghue at Mountfune on June 20th.
The court heard the 48-year-old replied: “I’m sorry” when he was formally charged at Roxboro Garda Station on Thursday, by Det Garda Niall Fitzgerald.
Mr McNamara’s stepson Robert Cusack (25) of Abington, Murroe, Co Limerick, is charged with impeding the Garda investigation into the murder.
Det Garda Fergal Hanrahan, told the court the 25-year-old replied: “Sorry for my part in this,” when he was formally charged on Thursday.
Dermot McKenna (49) of Hillview Park, St Patrick’s Road, Limerick, is charged with possession of a shotgun in suspicious circumstances, reckless discharge of a firearm and criminal damage at Newcastle Court, Dublin Road, Limerick, on June 21st.
Objecting to Mr McKenna’s application for bail, Det Garda Barry O’Grady said it is alleged the shooting on June 21st was carried out in retaliation for Mr O’Donoghue’s murder.
He alleged that Mr McKenna, told gardaí in interviews that he had “lost the head” following the murder of his best friend and admitted he carried out the shooting.
Escalation
Judge Marion O’Leary was told that a member of a rival motorcycle gang lived at the apartment complex that was targeted and that gardaí have concerns in relation to tensions between two motorcycle gangs and fear an escalation in violence.
Insp Ronan McDonagh said there were women and children living in the area and “given the circumstances of this feud gardaí have to have concern for the ordinary decent citizens of Limerick”.
Solicitor for Mr McKenna, Ted McCarthy said his client had no history of violence and would comply with any bail conditions imposed by the court.
He added that Mr McKenna had resigned from the motorcycle club of which he had been a member for years “which is a significant event”.
Judge O’Leary said because of the seriousness of the alleged offence and its proximity to the murder of Mr O’Donoghue she was refusing bail.
Neither Mr McNamara and Mr Cusack applied for bail.
All three men were remanded in custody to appear in court again next Tuesday.