Roy Collins told father ‘I’m after being shot’

The first Steve Collins knew about his son being shot was when one of his barmen told him there was "a fellow bleeding next door", a court has heard.

When he ran into the Coin Castle amusement arcade next to The Steering Wheel pub in Limerick City, he saw his son Roy crouched on his knees.

Roy said “I’m after being shot, Dad”, and when Mr Collins asked him did he see who shot him, his son replied “No”.

Steve Collins told the Special Criminal Court he did his best to comfort his son and Roy told him how much he loved him and his mother. Then the gardaí and an ambulance arrived.

Garda Steven Kelleher said he and Garda Deirdre Foley were waved down at the Roxboro shopping centre by people who said there had been a traffic accident. He went to the Coin Castle amusement arcade and saw Roy Collins on his hands and knees with a bloodstain on his back and a pool of blood on the ground.

There was also a bullet on the ground beside him and a bunch of keys.

Garda Kelleher said he went in the ambulance with Roy Collins to the hospital and Mr Collins became distressed on the way and had breathing difficulties.

He lost consciousness and after 15 minutes he was pronounced dead.

Garda Deirdre Collins said when she saw Roy Collins in the arcade she asked him who had shot him but he said nothing. He said he was finding it hard to breathe and was in a lot of pain.

The trial continues today before the three judges of the non-jury court, presided over by Ms Justice Iseult O’Malley.

Wayne Dundon, aged 35, of Lenihan Avenue, Prospect, and Nathan Killeen, aged 23 of Hyde Rd, Prospect, deny murdering Mr Collins at Coin Castle Amusements, Roxboro Rd Shopping Centre, on April 9, 2009.