A witness in a murder trial has told the Central Criminal Court that he saw a man kick and punch the mother of the accused minutes before another man was shot dead during a brawl in a Dublin pub.
A bar manager, Mr Shane Gallagher, yesterday told the court he witnessed a man assault the defendant's mother. "He punched his full fist into the face, knocked her flying," he said. Shortly after the assault "all hell broke loose" in the pub, he added, culminating in the death of one of the men.
Mr David Thomas (34), of Cloonlara Crescent, Finglas, Dublin, denies the murder of Mr Eamon O'Reily (23), of Sandyhill Gardens, Ballymun, in a Co Dublin pub on January 11th, 1998.
Mr Thomas has also denied seven other counts of possession of firearms and ammunition and of assaulting two gardai at a later date.
The trial continues before Mr Justice Butler and a jury today.