Uncle got into my bed, says accused

A Dubliner who shot his uncle dead told gardaí the deceased had got into bed with him when he was a child.

A jury heard the evidence in the murder trial of David Cully, who has admitted killing Edward O’Connor by shooting him in the back.

The 24-year-old father of one claimed he shot him “in the heat of the moment” after O’Connor mentioned someone who had accused him of sexual abuse. The court heard the allegation was investigated, but the DPP did not to prosecute.

Cully, of Kilshane Rd, Finglas West, has pleaded not guilty to murdering the 41-year-old but guilty to his manslaughter at Ballycoolin Rd, Finglas West, on December 15 2013.

He is on trial at the Central Criminal Court, where Detective Sergeant Gavin Ross

testified that Cully told interviewers he and his uncle had attended a fight between two men at Ballycoolin Road that day. Each was there to support a different opponent.

Cully said they were leaving afterwards when his uncle told him to “tell the red pox I was asking for her”. Cully said O’Connor was referring to the complainant of sexual abuse and that O’Connor had said it to rile him up.

Gardaí put it to him that his reaction, shooting him, was excessive.

“If everybody in the world reacted like you did, what kind of world would this be?” asked one detective.

“Yeah, but not everyone got sexually abused,” replied Cully, who then explained he had not been sexually abused, but that his uncle had tried to get into his bed when he was younger. “I got out,” he said.

The trial had already heard that Cully had fired a shot into the air during the fight when a third person tried to get involved.

Detectives questioned him on the likelihood that his uncle had made the “red pox” comment to him, knowing that he had a gun.

“He made one smart comment and made a dash for his car,” said Cully.

The officers suggested that Cully had planned the shooting and had gone to the fight with a purpose. “No-one brings a gun to a fist fight,” they said.

However, Cully said he had not planned it and was walking away when he heard the remark.

In another interview, they told him his story about finding the gun in a dump was unbelievable. He told them to believe what they wanted.

The trial continues.