Appeal for help from woman seen near murder site

GARDAÍ investigating the murder of Ger ‘Topper’ Staunton in Cork city last week have appealed for a woman spotted near the scene around the time of the shooting to come forward.

They are also seeking information on three separate vehicles — a red van believed to be the getaway vehicle — and two cars which may be linked to those involved in the shooting.

The appeals came last night as the body of the convicted drug dealer was removed from O’Connor Brother’s Funeral Home at the North Gate Bridge to the Church of St Mary’s on the Hill in Knocknaheeny.

The 42-year-old father-of-one was shot at close range by a masked gunman in front of his partner, Karen, and her two young children, as he got into his Audi car outside his terraced home at Westlawn, off the Sarsfield Road in Wilton, at around 7.50pm last Wednesday.

The gunman is described as about six feet tall, and was wearing dark clothes and a balaclava.

Karen and the children, a toddler and a seven-year-old, were already in the car and were just feet away when the gunman struck.

Mr Staunton was shot once in the chest and was pronounced dead at Cork University Hospital later.

Gardaí say the children were lucky to escape the spray of pellets from the double-barrel shotgun.

The killing was featured on the Crimecall programme on RTÉ television last night during which Superintendent Charlie Barry appealed for a specific person to come forward.

He said gardaí would like to speak to a blonde woman, aged between 25 and 35, who was spotted near the scene of the shooting last Wednesday.

Supt Barry said gardaí are also trying to trace the movements of a 92-C registered red Toyota Liteace van, which had bullbars fitted to the front and which it is believed was used by the gunman to flee the scene.

It was found burned out at Castlewhite, Waterfall at around 8.10pm last Wednesday.

Supt Barry appealed for information on:

* A beige or brown saloon-type vehicle which was spotted near the cemetery at O’Leary’s Lane in the Castlewhite area, around the same time, and which had its hazard lights flashing

* A second small vehicle which was parked nearby.

A team of up to 40 gardaí and detectives are working on the investigation.