Accused ‘said prayer after wife was shot’

The jury in the trial of a Cavan man accused of murdering his wife has heard that the accused said a prayer moments after the mother of their four children was shot at the family home.

Oliver Kierans, aged 57, of Drumbannon, Bailieborough, has pleaded not guilty to murdering Patricia Kierans, aged 54, on September 5, 2013, at the same address.

He also pleaded not guilty to unlawful possession of a 12-gauge double-barrel shotgun and not guilty to possession of the same shotgun with intent to endanger life.

Taking to the stand yesterday, Detective Garda Jim Mathews confirmed with Garret Baker, prosecuting, that in Garda interview, the accused said he was going to shoot himself.

Asked by gardaí why the accused and his wife had gone to the second-floor bedroom of the family home on September 5, he replied: “I brought her up to show her I was going to do away with myself.”

When asked where the gun had come from, he said: “In the room — I took it out to shoot myself.”

The jury heard that while in the room, the gun went off and the accused said there was “blood everywhere”.

Detective Mathews confirmed that the accused told him: “The thing goes off and there was blood — a lot of blood.” He then told gardaí: “I said a prayer — I tried to close Pat’s eyes but they wouldn’t close.”

When asked in interview if he had drink on him, the accused replied: “I had surely drink on me.”

He explained in a previous Garda interview that he had bought the gun to shoot pheasants and that he kept it under the bed in case of intruders.

The court heard from Garda Cathal Buggy that on September 7, while he was accompanying the accused to the bathroom in Cavan General Hospital, he seemed distressed. “He appeared quite distressed — he put his hands on his head and stated: ‘What have I done to my poor Pat — why didn’t I take myself’,” the garda said.

The court heard that the accused had told him he had an argument with his wife, she had come towards him, the gun had gone off, and she was dead on the floor.

Garda Buggy confirmed the accused had stated that the argument was over a ghost — someone he was having an affair with but that did not exist.

The jury heard that Mr Kierans told Garda Buggy that when he went to the pub on September 5. he had hoped to finish things.

In cross-examination by Anthony Sammon, Garda Buggy confirmed that he understood the accused to mean he would take his own life.

The trial continues before Ms Justice Aileen Donnelly and a jury.