A man replied “I didn’t do it” after he was charged today with the murder of a father-of-two from Dublin who was stabbed to death and dumped in a ditch four years ago.
Peter Gunn (28) from Whitehall, was last seen after he spent a night out with friends in Summerhill in north inner city Dublin on January 4th 2009.
His body was discovered 11 days later dumped in a ditch at Dunsoghly Lane, the Ward, in north Co Dublin.
Gardaí had searched the area at the back of Dublin Airport and found his body partly submerged in water.
This afternoon Alan Hart (31) was charged with the murder of Mr Gunn at a flat in Cabra Park, in Cabra, Dublin on the date of his disappearance.
Detective Sergeant Alan Brady told Judge Bryan Smyth at Dublin District Court that Mr Hart, who lives at Clareville Grove, Cabra was arrested outside Finglas Garda station this morning.
He was charged at the Garda station and in reply told gardaí “I didn’t do it,” Judge Smyth heard. Det-Sgt Brady asked the court to remand Mr Hart in custody for one week.
Mr Hart, who was wearing a white hooded top, did not address the court. He has not yet indicated how he will plead to the charge and his next hearing will take place on February 28th at Cloverhill District Court.
Defence solicitor John Quinn told Judge Smyth that his client was seeking free legal aid. The judge agreed to grant it after noting that Mr Hart was on social welfare.
Two men have already been successfully prosecuted on charges connected to the killing.
Last November, Kosovo national Hayrush Rama (35) who had been living at Rathgar Road, Rathgar, in Dublin was jailed for two years after he admitted that he failed to disclose information to gardaí. He had unwittingly given a lift to men disposing of the body.
In February 2012, Albanian man Kastriot Boza (39), who had lived at Newgrove Avenue, Sandymount, Dublin, was been sentenced for his role by Mr Justice Paul Carney at the Central Criminal Court.
After pleading guilty to charges of impeding the investigation, he received a six year sentence with the final two years suspended.