Girlfriend of victim identifies murder accused in court

The girlfriend of a man shot dead while he was sleeping in his home in Cavan last year has told a jury at the Central Criminal Court that the accused man was the assailant.

Nicole Lennon (aged 20) told the court that she had been asleep beside her partner, Darren McGrath (aged 33), at their home in Belturbet, Co Cavan, when she woke up and saw a man standing above her.

The man’s face was partially concealed and he was carrying a shotgun, the court heard.

Trevor McCabe (aged 34), Mountpleasant, Ballyconnell, Co Cavan has pleaded not guilty to murdering Mr McGrath in Belturbet, Co Cavan on May 20 last year.

Ms Lennon told the court that she had been living with Mr McGrath and their 13-month-old daughter at the house in Belturbet for two years.

On May 19, the night before the alleged murder, she was in the house, cooking dinner, the court heard.

Mr McGrath had gone out. He returned with his brother, Adam.

The court heard that Ms Lennon and Mr McGrath watched a DVD in their bedroom before falling asleep.

She slept on the side of the bed near the door while Mr McGrath slept on the side near the window, the court heard.

Ms Lennon said that she woke up to a person standing over her.

She “looked at Darren and heard a bang”.

“I was just terrified,” she said.

Ms Lennon told the court that the assailant was Mr McCabe.

She said he was wearing a mask which concealed his face from the nose down. The nose and eyes were visible, she said.

“After the first shot, Darren’s arm came up. Trevor [McCabe] leaned over me to get closer to Darren’s head, with the second shot.”

The weapon was a double-barrelled shotgun, the court heard.

“I just looked at Darren and there was blood everywhere.”

Ms Lennon “jumped out of bed and called 999”.

She was “hysterical,” she said.

She went into Mr McGrath’s brother Adam, saying: “He’s dead.”

Ms Lennon’s neighbour, Andrea Murphy, came into the house.

Ms Lennon stood on the landing, looking down.

“I could see Andrea running up to me... I said: ‘He’s dead, he’s dead’. I was shouting that Trevor McCabe did it.”

The alleged murder occurred at approximately 5am, the court heard.

Ms Lennon told the court that she knew Mr McCabe prior to the alleged murder.

The accused was at her and Mr McGrath’s daughter’s christening and was there when the baby was born, the court heard.

“I thought him and Darren were friends. I don’t know why this would happen.”

A month before the alleged murder, Mr McCabe and his girlfriend had called to the deceased man’s home.

The court also heard that Mr McCabe had helped Mr McGrath set up a music system in his and Ms Lennon’s bedroom.

During cross-examination, Ms Lennon told Peter Finlay SC, defending, that she did not know if her partner had had any enemies.

“There would have been a few people that didn’t like him,” she said.

The trial continues.