Tight security as Kieran Keane murder trial opens

The trial of five Limerick men for the murder of Kieran Keane and the attempted murder of his nephew opened amid tight security in Dublin's Cloverhill courthouse today.

It is the first time in the history of the State that the Central Criminal Court has heard a trial in Dublin outside the Four Courts or the Green Street courthouse.

As the jury of seven men and five women arrived by bus shortly after 11am, observers, reporters and relatives of the accused were searched and their belongings put through electronic scanning equipment similar to that used in Special Criminal Court.

The five accused sat together behind six sets of lawyers at the front of the court. Kieran Keane's widow, Sophie Keane sat at the back, alongside other family members behind a row of reporters.

Opening the case for the State, Mr Denis Vaughan Buckley SC, prosecuting, told the jury it was the State's case that all five accused acted as part of a joint enterprise and as such, were all involved in the abduction and murder.

He said the prosecution case depended "wholly or substantially" on the evidence of Owen Treacy, the chief prosecution witness in the case.

Mr Buckley told the jury they will hear evidence from Owen Treacy that on the day of the killing, he travelled with Kieran Keane in Mr Keane's blue Passat car to an area near Fairgreen, Limerick.

At number 5 Fairgreen they met a man identifed in court as Mr X, who is not one of the accused.

Anthony 'Noddy' McCarthy and Desmond Dundon were also there and Anthony McCarthy was armed with a handgun, it is claimed. The jury would hear that Desmond Dundon asked them to ring a Mr Callopy to get him "out the road" but he refused to make the call.

The jury would also hear that there were a number of other men present wearing balaclavas and Mr Treacy will say he recognised one as David "frog eye" Stanners.

Mr Treacy will also tell the jury that Desmond Dundon tied his and Kieran Keane's hands behind their backs, placed hoods on their heads, taped them down and Mr X led them back out.

The two were then ordered into the boot of a Micra driven by Noddy McCarthy with Mr X in the passenger seat. They were driven to another house in Roundwood Estate. On arrival, the hoods were taken off and they were asked again to ring the Callopys.

Anthony "Noddy" McCarthy then walked them down to a hiace van at gunpoint. Kieran Keane asked Noddy McCarthy if he was coming and he said 'no'. Mr Treacy would tell the jury that David Stanners drove, James McCarthy sat in the front seat and Christopher "Smokie" Costelloe sat in the back.

He would also say that Christopher "Smokie" Costelloe had a gun in his hand which he thought was a .38 revolver.

Owen Treacy and Kieran Keane were ordered to lie on the floor of the van with blankets over them. They were driven around for about 35 minutes. Mr Treacy will say that David Stanners pulled Kieran Keane out of the van while Smokie Costelloe held the gun.

He will say he saw David Stanners throw Kieran Keane on the ground and shoot him in the head while Smokie Costelloe held onto Owen Treacy. Counsel said Mr Treacy would tell the jury David Stanners came towards him with a gun. Smokie Costelloe allegedly stuck a knife into his neck following which David Stanners took the knife, "looked him straight in the eye and said 'that's the last face you're going to see'." He then stabbed Owen Treacy in the side, it is claimed.

Owen Treacy would also say that he heard James McCarthy say "come on, come on he's dead". They then left the scene. When Mr Treacy went over to his uncle, he could see he was dead and he went for help.

Mr Buckley told the jury that these men were no strangers to Owen Treacy as he had known most of them for years. Counsel said they would also hear evidence from Sophie Keane that at 3.15pm on the day of the killing, she saw her husband speak to Desmond Dundon.

They would also hear evidence from Deputy State Pathologist Dr Marie Cassidy that Kieran Keane died from a single gun shot to the head and also sustained six knife wounds near his left ear. They would hear other medical evidence saying that owen treacy sustained multiple stab wounds.

Mr John Edwards SC, defending the accused James McCarthy, told the court that "at all material times" his client was watching the Liverpool/Arsenal football match on TV at a house on College Avenue where a number of people were present.

At the beginning of the trial, Mr Justice Carney warned the jury that this case "has attracted very, very extensive publicity" and that there is a great deal of "innacurate material and casual material floating around".

The five accused have pleaded not guilty to the murder of Kieran Keane (aged 36) of Garryowen House, Greenhills Road, Garryowen, Limerick on January 29 last at Drombana, Bushy Island, Limerick and to falsely imprisoning of Mr Keane on the same date. The accused also deny the attempted murder of Mr Keane's nephew, Owen Treacy of St Munchin's Street, St Mary's Park, Limerick on the same date and at the same location and to falsely imprisoning Mr Treacy.

They are: Desmond Dundon (aged 20) of Hyde Road, Limerick; David Stanners (aged 31) of Pineview Gardens, Moyross, James McCarthy (aged 24) of Delmege Park, Moyross; Christopher "Smokie" Costelloe (aged 20) of Moylish Avenue, Ballynanty Beg and Anthony "Noddy" McCarthy (aged 21) of Fairgreen, Garryowen.

The trial before Mr Justice Carney continues.