Dublin man gives alibi in attempted murder case

A Dublin man accused of attempting to murder a Jordanian man by shooting him in the head at a Leisureplex in Dublin's Blanchardstown, told gardai he was with his girlfriend on the night of the attack at the Central Criminal Court today/ Thursday.

A Dublin man accused of attempting to murder a Jordanian man by shooting him in the head at a Leisureplex in Dublin's Blanchardstown, told gardaí he was with his girlfriend on the night of the attack at the Central Criminal Court today.

Darren Larkin (aged 23), of no fixed address, denies attempting to murder Akef Alquasar in the early hours of February 20, 2006. He also denies two further charges of possession of a firearm and ammunition with intent to endanger life.

Sergeant Edward Carroll told Mr Séan Guerin BL, prosecuting, that Mr Larkin told gardaí: "I was up in my girlfriend's house or she stayed in my house. It would have been a Saturday or a Sunday. I would have been with my girlfriend."

When shown CCTV footage from the Leisureplex on the night of the incident Mr Larkin said "That's not me, you head cases."

He told gardaí: "Sure the man on the camera looked bigger than me. That man looked like he had muscles."

Earlier Garda Paul Anderson told prosecuting counsel Mr Shane Murphy SC that he had been involved in the Community Policing Unit in Blanchardstown from September 2003 until December 2005.

He confirmed that he knew Mr Larkin from patrolling the Sheepmore Estate on foot.

"You would bump into groups of youths hanging round housing estates as you do all over the country and Darren Larkin was one of those youths."

After viewing the CCTV footage from the night of the incident Garda Anderson identified the figure entering the Leisureplex apparently holding a gun as the accused.

However, he agreed with Ms Mary Ellen Ring SC, defending, that he was aware that Mr Larkin had been arrested in connection with the incident before making his identification from the footage.

The trial continues tomorrow before Mr Justice Éamon de Valera and a jury of six men and six women.