Jury fails to reach verdict in drug dealer murder trial

The jury in the trial of a man accused of killing a drug dealer today failed to reach a verdict.

Shay Wildes, 36, from Corbally Park, Tallaght, was on trial at Dublin’s Central Criminal Court for the murder of Declan Griffin on April 5, 2003 at the Horse and Jockey pub in Inchicore, Dublin.

The jury of six men and six women spent six hours and 41 minutes deliberating the case. The foreman of the jury recorded the word “disagreed” in the court records.

Justice Barry White thanked the jury and discharged them from jury service for life. He remanded Shay Wildes in custody until October 26, when his case will appear again in court for mention.

During the two week trial, the prosecution claimed Wildes had promised to provide security to Griffin, a drug dealer and former Garda informant who had been threatened by a gang in Tallaght.

The chief prosecution witness Sandro D’Ambrosio, told the court he had been sitting beside Wildes and Griffin on the night of his death. He 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.

However, senior counsel for the Defence John Peart established that D’Ambrosio had taken at least five pints that day rather than the three he claimed. He accused D’Ambrosio of telling lies to the jury.

A date for Wildes’ retrial is expected to be set on October 26.