Man charged with pub shooting death

A MAN appeared in court yesterday charged with the murder of a man shot dead inside a north Dublin pub less than two weeks ago.

Shay Wildes, aged 35, of Corbally Park, Tallaght, appeared before Kilmainham District Court charged with the murder of drug dealer and garda informant Declan Griffin.

Mr Griffin, aged 32, was shot dead as he sat at a table inside the Horse and Jockey pub in Inchicore in the north inner city.

A garda detective involved in the murder investigation told the court that when charged with murder at Kilmainham garda station on Monday evening, Mr Wildes made no reply. He said nothing during the brief court appearance.

Mr Wildes was remanded in custody to appear before Cloverhill District Court on Thursday.

An application for bail will have to be made to the High Court. His solicitor indicated Mr Wildes would be applying for legal aid.

Gardaí launched a murder investigation following the death of Mr Griffin on Saturday, April 5. A known drug dealer, he was also a garda informant involved in one of the most controversial court cases in recent years.

Mr Griffin was charged but found not guilty of bringing €1.3 million worth of heroin and ecstasy into Dublin Airport from Amsterdam in 1995.

He admitted in court he was a garda informant and said, in his defence, that his garda handler, Det Sgt Denis Palmer, had asked him to import the drugs.

An internal garda investigation into the conduct of his “handler” was carried out but details of its conclusions have never been published.

Det Sgt Palmer rejected the allegation and told the court he was “horrified” when he heard that Mr Griffin had been caught at the airport carrying drugs. Det Sgt Palmer admitted he had arranged to meet Mr Griffin at the airport.

The trial was the second to be held on the drugs charge. His first trial had collapsed when a juror claimed she had been approached in the street by the accused and had felt intimidated by him.