Two Co Sligo men have been jailed for life by the Special Criminal Court in Dublin for the murder of community activist Mr Terry Madden outside his home last year.
Michael Doohan (34), a single man and a private in the Defence Forces, of Ashbury Lawn, Ballinode, Co Sligo and Patrick McGrath 957), a married father of 12, of Cuilprughlish, Gruteen, Co Sligo, were convicted of the murder of Mr Madden, a 52-year-old father of three and FAS supervisor, at his home at Monasteraden, Co Sligo on January 28th last year.
McGrath was also jailed for 10 years for intentionally causing serious harm to Mr Madden and possession of a sawn-off shotgun with intent to enable another person to endanger life on the same date.
Doohan was jailed for six years for intentionally causing serious harm to Mr Madden at Monasteraden on the same date. Mr Justice Morris, presiding, after finding them guilty of Mr Madden's murder, imposed the mandatory life sentence.
The court was told McGrath introduced Doohan to Joey Herron and that McGrath bought a shotgun for £50 from another man and hid it in a tree behind his house.
Herron lay in wait outside the Madden home and shot Mr Madden twice in the back of the legs as he left his home at 7.50 a.m. on January 28th last year.
The first shot was fired as Mr Madden tried to run back into his house. Herron then fired the second fatal shot which severed the main artery and vein in Mr Madden's right thigh causing him to bleed to death.
Mr Justice Morris said McGrath was part of a common design to cause serious injury to Mr Madden.
He introduced Doohan to Herron, provided Herron with the shotgun used in the murder and offered to accompany Herron on the planned assault.
McGrath's counsel, Mr John Edwards SC, said that his client was undergoing medical treatment and the court had heard evidence from Dr Charles Smith of the Central Mental Hospital about his mental state.
Dr Smith told the court that McGrath suffered from "agitated depression". Mr Justice Morris recommended appropriate medical treatment.