Red Bull can found at scene traced to Swiss factory

Gardaí traced a can of Red Bull found at a suspected murder scene from a factory in Switzerland to a shop in south Dublin, the Central Criminal Court has heard.

Detective Sergeant Daniel Kelly yesterday gave evidence of tracking the drink can at the trial of Gary Flynn, aged 31, of Rossfield Drive, Tallaght. Mr Flynn has pleaded not guilty to the murder of Seamus ‘Shay’ O’Byrne at Tymon Park North, Tallaght, on March 13, 2009.

Det Sgt Kelly told the court a can of Red Bull was among the exhibits collected from the scene where Mr O’Byrne was shot dead.

Gardaí found it by a wall where the dead man’s partner, Sharon Rattigan, had wrestled the gunman to the ground before he shot her in the leg and ran away.

Det Sgt Kelly noted the can had a stamp on it with a date, time, and serial number. He told Alex Owens, prosecuting, that he went to a Spar shop in Ballymount in south Dublin where he inspected the cans of Red Bull and found 25 more with the same number. He then travelled to Switzerland to one of only two factories in the world that make the energy drink.

The can was traced to the Irish distributor in Clondalkin, which said it delivered the can to the Spar in Ballymount on January 16, 2009.

The court then heard from Garda Patrick Tarrant who told Mr Owens he viewed CCTV footage from the same Spar shop taken on the day Mr O’Byrne was shot dead.

Gda Tarrant produced nine CCTV stills. He told Mr Owens they showed a man, known to him as Mr O’Brien, buying two cans of Red Bull at 6.35pm. Mr O’Byrne was shot shortly after 8pm.

Gda Tarrant said a green rain jacket Mr O’Brien was wearing matched that found in a vehicle believed to have been used by the gang who killed Mr O’Byrne.

The trial continues.