Man given community service after contract shot

A man who fired a sawn-off shot gun at a Nigerian man he was hired to klll for a IR£15,000 fee has been given 100 hours community service by Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.

John Byrne (aged 21) with a previous address at O’Hogan Road, Ballyfermot, had agreed to carry out the shooting after another man offered him the £15,000 fee to kill Mr Ben Streetly.

Detective Garda Sean Fallon told Mr Paul Burns BL, prosecuting, however, that Byrne had not intended to kill Mr Streetly, who has since been deported.

Afterwards, he was in a state of panic as he had not thought himself capable of shooting someone.

Byrne told gardaí that the man who offered him money to kill Mr Streetly told him to aim for his head.

His accomplice, Martin Cahill (aged 19), Cremona Road, also Ballyfermot, had loaded the weapon before the shooting at Park Street near the Chapelizod by-pass.

Both pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm for an unlawful purpose on November, 22 2001.

Det Gda Fallon said that when gardaí arrived at the scene at around 8pm they spoke to three youths, including Cahill and Byrne, who said they had seen a gunman escaping in a car.

However, as a result of information, they were arrested and admitted their role in the crime.

Byrne said he hid in a bush and fired at a range of five or six feet, hitting Mr Streetly in the side.

When asked whether it was his intention to kill Mr Streetly, Byrne replied "definitely not". He also denied that the crime was a racist one. He said Mr Streetly had threatened to kill his friend within a three-week period.

Det Gda Fallon said Mr Streetly had been brought down to the field where the shooting took place on the pretence of going to a party. There was a history of hostility between him and the third man involved in the incident who claimed that Mr Streetly had threatened his life by pulling a ladder out of his way at work.

He had told Byrne and Cahill that Mr Streetly was in the Real IRA and Det Gda Fallon said it was his idea that he be attacked.

Cahill told gardaí he had carried a number of ammunition shells in his pocket and admitted to loading one of them into the gun.

Ms Isobel Kennedy SC, for Cahill, said he was just 16 years old at the time and was "a very decent young man". He initially thought that the plan to shoot Mr Streetly was a joke and had not realised the seriousness of the crime.

Mr Roderick O’Hanlon SC, for Byrne, said his client was someone who was easily led. He was genuinely remorseful for the incident.

Judge Yvonne Murphy accepted that the two men were under the influence of an older and more devious man and that they both thought they were taking part in a game of some sort. She noted there was no racist element to the attack and that both accused were deeply remorseful.

Judge Murphy ordered that both Cahill and Byrne carry out 100 hours community service each and if they fail to comply with this they will receive a 12-month sentence.