Man pleads not guilty in Limerick shooting case

A 27-year-old man has denied trying to kill another man at a house in Limerick city almost six years ago.

David McCarthy, O’Callaghan Avenue, Kileely, Limerick, pleaded not guilty today to the attempted murder of Patrick McNamara at Craeval Park in Moyross on June 11, 1998.

Mr McCarthy also denies being in possession of a double barrel sawn off shotgun for an unlawful purpose on the same date.

The 27-year old is also facing other charges including engaging in conduct which caused serious harm or risk of death to Patrick McNamara.

The Central Criminal Court – which is currently sitting in Limerick – heard an outline of the charges against the accused by senior counsel for the prosecution John Edwards SC.

The jury of eight women and four men were told that the accused was one of three masked and armed men who arrived at a house in Craeval Park in Moyross shortly after 2am on March 11, 1998.

Mr Edwards said the accused saw Mr McNamara inside the house and shot at him from outside, causing him serious harm.

Mr McNamara had arrived at the house earlier that night after being invited over for a drink by the owner’s brother, the court heard.

There were a number of people in the house when Mr McNamara arrived at 10.55pm but most of them had left by 2am, explained Mr Edwards.

The jury was told that Mr McNamara was in the house with one other person when the gunmen arrived some time after 2am.

“Mr McCarthy peered into the house and saw Mr McNamra, took a step back and fired directly at him,” said Mr Edwards.

The court heard that the gunmen fled the scene in the direction of College Avenue.

During the Garda investigation after the attack a firearm was recovered in a laneway beside a shop in College Avenue in Moyross.

The jury was told that it would hear evidence that this was “at least one of the guns used in the shooting”.

The case is due to continue tomorrow before Mr Justice Paul Carney.