Murder suspect died on stolen motorcycle as gardaí pursued

A DUBLIN man, who was the prime suspect in a 2003 murder investigation, was killed six months later when his motorcycle crashed during a high-speed garda pursuit.

An inquest in Dublin heard yesterday that Paul Boyd, aged 25, of Fairlawn Road, Finglas died after he lost control of his motorcycle in Clonsilla in the early hours of October 16, 2003.

Family and friends of Boyd had expressed concern that Garda vehicles were involved in a collision with the victim.

Barrister, Dean Kelly representing the Boyd family, told the Dublin County Coroner’s Court that there was “rumour, suspicion and hearsay in Finglas” over the victim’s death.

However, a forensic scientist from the State laboratory said an examination of the victim’s motorcycle and two Garda cars involved in the chase had shown no evidence of any contact between the vehicles.

Boyd was the Garda’s prime suspect for the fatal shooting of Michael Scott, aged 25, at the victim’s home in Sillogue Road, Ballymun in April 2003.

The father-of-two was shot in the bedroom of his seventh floor apartment in front of his partner and two young children by a masked gunman.

Although a file on the case was forwarded to the DPP by gardaí with the recommendation that Boyd be charged with the murder, criminal proceedings were discontinued after his death.

Gardaí believe Boyd was seriously injured by Scott on the day before his murder in a revenge attack for Boyd’s violent assault on a former girlfriend of the other man.

Evidence was heard yesterday that Boyd lost control of his bike at around 1.30am at Hartstown Road, Clonsilla following a chase through Finglas and Blanchardstown at speeds in excess of 60mph.

He received multiple fatal injuries when his body hit a lamppost after being thrown from the motorcycle.

Other Garda witnesses told the inquest that the Honda 400cc used by Boyd had been stolen the previous month in Balbriggan and had been fitted with false registration plates.

The deceased man’s friend, Clare Smith, said a group of friends including Boyd had decided around midnight to go to visit another friend at her new home in Blanchardstown.

Because there was no room in her car, Boyd had decided to take his motorcycle and follow them.

Ms Smith said an unmarked Garda car travelling in the opposite direction had seen them in Finglas and did a U-turn and started following them. She claimed both vehicles were only doing around 30mph.

However, Garda Liam McLoughlin, who was driving the Garda vehicle, said the motorbike had come to his attention because it was travelling at a high speed.

Gardaí did not activate sirens and blue flashing lights until after Boyd had driven around a roadblock mounted by another patrol car in Finglas.

The inquest also heard that Boyd had consumed alcohol shortly before the incident. Toxicology reports revealed he had twice the legal alcohol limit in his blood. A jury of five men and four women returned a verdict of misadventure.