A Dublin man has been found guilty of attempted murder after shooting another man in the head at a Leisureplex in Dublin's Blanchardstown.
Darren Larkin (23), of no fixed address, was convicted by a jury at the Central Criminal Court of attempting to murder Jordanian Akef Alquasar in February 2006. He was also convicted of possession of a firearm and ammunition with intent to endanger life.
The jury took just under 2½ hours to reach a 10-2 verdict.
During the trial the court heard that Mr Alquasar had lived "around the corner" from Larkin's family in the Sheepmore estate in Dublin for almost 20 years. He had known Larkin since he was five or six.
He told Shane Murphy SC, prosecuting, that when a man wearing a hat and carrying a double-barrelled sawn-off shotgun came into the Leisureplex at 4.40am on February 20th, 2006, he recognised him as Larkin.
He said Larkin "just stood there for three or four seconds and just looked at me. He knew I recognised him." He shouted "Larkin, you bastard" as Larkin ran at him with the gun aimed at his head. When he was about seven or eight metres away, he fired, hitting him in the side of the head.
Mr Alquasar dived behind the registration desk and started pelting Larkin with bowling shoes that were stored behind it.
Larkin followed him over, training the gun on him as he crouched behind the desk.
"I was screaming like mad. I was picking up the shoes, these shoes at the back, and throwing them.
"I was throwing them and I was hitting him in the face and I was screaming." Larkin stopped to reload and Mr Alquasar kept throwing shoes. A further shot missed him, then Larkin ran for the exit.
Mr Alquasar ran after him, shouting as Larkin got into a small red car outside the entrance and drove away.
Mr Alquasar told Mary Ellen Ring SC, defending, that he was well known in his local area for his strong anti-drugs and anti-joyriding stance.
Mr Justice Éamon de Valera remanded Larkin for sentencing on May 4th.