A WICKLOW man shot a young father four times while his back was turned and as his girlfriend looked on, lawyers for the State have told a jury at the Central Criminal Court.
Opening the murder trial of Garrett O’Brien yesterday, senior prosecuting counsel Alexander Owens said that, after shooting 27-year-old Seamus O’Byrne in Tallaght, Dublin, Mr O’Brien fought with his girlfriend and shot her through the leg.
The incident happened at the house Mr O’Byrne shared with Sharon Rattigan at Tymon Park North one evening in March 2009 at about 8.15pm.
Mr Owens said the jury will hear evidence that for two days prior to the shooting, a gang had been plotting to kill Mr O’Byrne at his home.
Mr O’Brien, who has an address at Clover Hill in Bray, has denied murder.
He is also pleading not guilty to a second charge of possessing a firearm with intent to endanger life on the same date.
The trial resumes today and is expected to take three weeks.