Murder accused thanked clerks after robbery

A man who is on trial for the murder of a Kilkenny postmaster, who he shot following a raid that netted him about €15,000, told postal clerks "thanks" as he left, a court has heard.

Shu Shen, a Chinese national, formerly of The Old Rectory, New Ross, Co Wexford admits the manslaughter of Alan Cunniffe, 32, on December 8, 2006 but he denies his murder.

Mr Alex Owens SC, for the Director of Public Prosecutions, said the DPP would not accept Shen’s manslaughter plea.

Shen, 25, has pleaded guilty to stealing money over the value of €13,000 from the post office on John’s Green in Kilkenny and being in possession of a firearm with intent to commit robbery in relation to the same incident.

A jury in the Central Criminal Court at Dublin heard from post office clerks, Heather White and Breda Cahill who were working when the post office was raided.

Mrs White said a man wearing a balaclava and carrying a gun in his left hand and a knife in his right hand came in.

He pointed the gun at her shoulder and said “money now”, in broken English. She alerted Mrs Cahill who said she was scared when she saw the knife and gun.

He was saying “money, money, no harm,” in broken English Mrs Cahill said.

The women let him into the clerks’ area where the man emptied two tills into a bag he had.

Mrs White told the court she thought he got away with about €15,000 and both said they heard him say “thanks” as he left.

This afternoon the court heard from Peter Blanchfield a delivery driver who was at the Centra near the post office when the raid happened.

He ran from the store and saw Mr Cunniffe after someone.

“I could see Alan following a person.”

As he got closer he saw the pair struggling, Mr Cunniffe had the man up against a car near the Padmore and Barnes shoe factory on Wolfe Tone Street.

“When I got near the medical centre I seen the struggle then I heard a bang.”

He saw Mr Cunniffe fall onto the pavement and the man run off.

Under cross examination by defence counsel, Mr Paul Coffey SC, he said he could not see the hands of either the man or Mr Cunniffe during the struggle.

“Could you see any weapon?” Mr Coffey asked.

“No, they were just close together,” Mr Blanchfield said.

“They were cheek by jowl then there was a bang?” Mr Coffey asked.

“Then there was a bang, yeah,” Mr Blanchfield said.

Seamus Kavanagh was in the post office when the man came in and said the teller looked “terrified”.

He left the post office and saw Mr Cunniffe, telling him there was a man with a gun, but he said Mr Cunniffe ignored his advice and went into the post office.

The man came out and Mr Cunniffe gave chase.

He followed at a distance and saw the pair stopping periodically.

“It looked to me like he was telling him to get back or else,” Mr Kavanagh said.

Anie Redmond was in the post office but left as the raid took place.

She said people were yelling at Mr Cunniffe, “don’t follow him. Don’t follow him Alan.”

Edmond Condon told the court he was in his car when he saw two men running down Wolfe Tone Street.

Mr Cunniffe caught up with the man and pulled his bag off his back.

“He spun around and pointed the gun at Alan Cunniffe,” Mr Condon said.

He pointed it right in Mr Cunniffe’s face and Mr Cunniffe put his hands in the air.

The man turned and ran again and Mr Cunniffe followed catching up with him again.

Dr Frank McKenna tended to Mr Cunniffe shortly after the shooting and said there was a 5mm bloody wound near Mr Cunniffe’s belly button.

He was conscious and taken to St Luke’s General Hospital but unstable and disorientated during the journey, Dr McKenna said.

Mr Cunniffe died at 3pm the same day, the court heard.

Mr Justice Paul Carney has said he expects the case to last six days.

The trial continues.