Man guilty of gun death awaits sentencing

A DUBLIN man who fled to Turkey after accidentally shooting dead a father of two during a confrontation sparked by a fight at a christening is to be sentenced at the Central Criminal Court in Dublin tomorrow.

Robert Egan told gardaí that he “did not mean to shoot dead” Wayne Doherty but meant to shoot another man, Bobby Hughes, in the legs.

Mr Doherty, aged 32, a bread delivery man, was shot outside his parents’ home after he attempted to stop a dispute involving his friends and a group of men late on the night of July 4, 2009.

Egan, aged 27, of Dromheath Avenue, Mulhuddart, pleaded not guilty to the murder of Mr Doherty at Oakview Way, Hartstown, on July 5, 2009, but pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of Mr Doherty.

He had also pleaded guilty to the unlawful possession of a shotgun at the same address on July 4, 2009.

Detective Sergeant Dan O’Callaghan told Mr Paul Coffey SC, prosecuting, that a christening had taken place earlier in the day at a public house in Clonee.

Andrew Jameson, a friend of Egan’s and Robert Hughes, a neighbour of the deceased were involved in a minor altercation at the christening. The altercation continued outside the public house. “Each side marshalled their forces,” Det Callaghan said.

Mr Hughes arrived at the scene with his friend Eric O’Callaghan, the deceased man Wayne Doherty and the deceased’s brother David Doherty.

Egan arrived in a silver Volkswagen Passat and approached the group carrying a loaded sawn-off shotgun while a group of men followed from behind.

Egan had told gardaí he had arrived at the scene with the loaded gun with the intention of “shooting Hughes in the leg”.

Witnesses told gardaí that Mr Doherty had approached Egan and shouted at him to “go home” and pleaded with him to put the gun away. Mr Doherty sought to wrestle the gun from Egan and in doing so two shots were discharged.

One of the bullets passed over Mr Doherty’s head while the second bullet hit him on the side of the chest and caused multiple injuries to his abdomen.

The wife of the deceased, Karen Doherty, said: “Wayne was my life, my best friend, my soul mate and he will never be replaced”. She said her two children Joanne, 7, and Christopher, 13, have been left without a father.

Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy reserved judgement on the sentencing until tomorrow and Egan was remanded back in custody.