Murder trial jury retire for the night

The jury in a Dublin pub murder trial retired to a hotel last night after failing to reach a verdict.

The six men and six women who deliberated the case of Shay Wildes (aged 36) from Corbally Park, Tallaght, for around five hours today, will resume again tomorrow morning.

Mr Wildes denies murdering Mr Declan Griffin (aged 32) from Coolock in the Horse and Jockey pub, Inchicore on 5 April 2003.

Today, the seventh day of the trial, Mr Justice Barry White told the jury that Sandro D’Ambrosio (aged 30) from Inchicore was the "lynchpin" of the State’s case.

Mr D’Ambrosio was the only witness who saw Mr Wildes with a gun in his hand at the time of the killing.

In his closing speech on Wednesday, defence counsel Mr John Peart SC drew attention to the fact that there were inconsistencies in Mr D’Ambrosio’s evidence regarding the amount he had to drink that day.

"There is evidence of different matters which leaves you in a quandary as to what exactly happened on that occasion," he said.

In his closing speech prosecuting counsel Mr Tom O’Connell SC said the evidence in the case was "overwhelming" and invited the jury to bring in a guilty verdict.

The jury will recommence their deliberations tomorrow morning at 10.30am.