Man shot his uncle dead ‘in the heat of the moment’

A man told gardaí that he shot his uncle dead ‘in the heat of the moment’ after his uncle made a comment about somebody who had made an allegation of sexual abuse against him (the deceased).

David Cully, aged 24, has admitted the manslaughter of his uncle, Edward O’Connor, by shooting him in the back. However, Mr Cully of Kilshane Road, Finglas West has pleaded not guilty to murdering the 41-year-old at Ballycoolin Road, Finglas West on December 15, 2013.

He is currently on trial at the Central Criminal Court.

Detective Sergeant Gavin Ross testified yesterday he had arrested Mr Cully on Abbottstown Drive, Finglas the morning after the shooting.

He said that Mr Cully told investigators that he had gone to Dunsink tip head that Sunday morning to see if a gun he had found two days earlier was still there. It was, but he said he didn’t even know if it was working.

He said ‘a straightener’ (fight) was then arranged between the deceased man’s son, Darren O’Connor, and a man connected both to the accused and the sexual abuse complainant. This fist fight took place at a yard at Ballycoolin Road.

“We were all leaving the yard … Edward Snr ran ahead,” he said.

He said the deceased had told him to ‘tell the red pox I was asking for her’, referring to the complainant.

“He said that to rile me up. I just fired the gun at him,” he said.

He said he later smashed and cut up the gun, which was mostly plastic. The gardaí told him they could see that he was upset.

“It was like I just went blank. I never fired a gun before. I don’t know how I even managed to get him. I had no intention of killing him,” he said.

“When he said that, I grinded my teeth. I turned and shot him. It wasn’t something I’d planned,” he said. At the end of the interview, he was asked if he wanted to add anything.

“I’d like to apologise to all members of Edward O’Connor’s family,” he said.

Earlier, the deceased man’s teenage son described the moment the accused shot his father after the fist fight.

Edward O’Connor Jnr, 18, testified he, his father and other male relatives had attended the ‘straightener’ that day.

“David Cully took out a black handgun and let a shot up into the air,” he said. Mr O’Connor said both opponents shook hands afterwards. “We were walking out the gate and David shot my Da,” he said.

The trial continues in legal argument before Mr Justice Carroll Moran this morning and will resume on Monday before the jury.