Murder accused kidnapped gang member, court told

A man accused of killing a drug dealer had kidnapped a Tallaght gang member on his behalf, the Dublin Central Criminal Court heard today.

Shay Wildes, 36, from Corbally Park in Tallaght, Dublin had promised the drug dealer Declan Griffin he would sort out the gang who were making threats on his life – at a cost of €15,000.

Wildes arranged to meet Griffin, 32, on April 5 2003, the day he was killed, to receive part-payment for the kidnapping.

His acquaintance Sandro D’Ambrosio said Wiles had become very agitated when Griffin refused to pay without seeing “results”.

He told the court: “Tell that pr**k the results are on the TV. If he wants to see results, it’s on the TV 3 news.”

D’Ambrosio then called Griffin on his mobile phone and told him that Wildes wanted his money they arranged to meet in the Horse and Jockey pub in Inchicore, Dublin, where a large crowd was watching the English Grand National.

D’Ambrosio said Griffin came straight over to where he and Wildes were sitting at the bar shortly before 6pm. Griffin was wearing a red and white motorcycle helmet and had a concealed handgun as well as a bullet proof vest.

D’Ambrosio said Wildes asked Griffin if he was having a drink. “Declan said: ‘I don’t drink’ then Shay said: ‘You’ll have a 7Up’ so I got a Guinness for Shay, Bulmers for myself and a 7Up for Declan.”

The three men sat at a couch near the exit to the bar and Griffin handed €5,000 over to Wildes after a whispered conversation.

D’Ambrosio said Griffin looked a bit edgy and nervous. “I think I heard Declan Griffin say: ‘I’m loaded’. I remember thinking: 'Oh f**k, don’t say that.'”

Then D’Ambrosio heard a loud noise which deafened his ear and he looked over and saw Griffin with a hole in his head and Wildes running out of the door with a handgun in his right hand.

“People were screaming all over the place. Everyone was shocked,” he said.

D’Ambrosio said the time between when Griffin entered the bar and when he was shot dead by Wildes was just a matter of minutes.

Senior council for Wildes John Peart said his client admitted being in the bar at the time of Griffin’s death but he denied responsibility.