Murder-accused wore clothes similar to those upon which blood stains were found

A Cavan man accused of murder was wearing clothes on the morning of the alleged murder “similar” to clothes upon which blood staining was subsequently found, the Central Criminal Court heard today.

Trevor McCabe (aged 34), Mountpleasant, Ballyconnell, Co Cavan has pleaded not guilty to murdering Darren McGrath (33) in Belturbet, Co Cavan on May 20 last year.

It is the prosecution’s case that Mr McCabe shot Mr McGrath as he slept.

They say that Mr McCabe entered the house with a shotgun at approximately 5am, shot Mr McGrath twice, and then drove off.

Dr David Casey, of the Forensic Science Laboratory, told the court that he examined the passenger door and a driver’s seat cover of a Honda Civic, as well as items of clothing.

The court has previously heard that clothing was found in a bag which had been left in a Spar shop in Dromore, Co Tyrone on the evening of May 20 last year.

Dr Casey told the court that the inside of the car door was bloodstained.

He found three areas of blood staining on the driver’s seat cover, the court heard.

Dr Casey also found blood on an Adidas jacket, a pair of combat trousers and a tracksuit top.

The court heard that Dr Casey submitted all of these items for DNA profiling.

Det. Gda Paul Cullen told the court that a man recorded by CCTV at the Lakeside Filling Station, Enniskillen, Co Tyrone at 3.12am on May 20 last year was Mr McCabe.

Det. Gda Cullen said that the clothes Mr McCabe was wearing were “similar” to the Adidas jacket and combat trousers examined by Dr Casey.

Gda Shane Dempsey told the court that he viewed a number of CCTV clips.

He said that the clip taken from Lakeside Filling Station on the morning of May 20 showed a black Honda Civic enter the forecourt and Mr McCabe alighting from the car.

Further CCTV footage was shown, including a clip from outside the Harbour Bar in Belturbet at 4.39am on May 20 last year.

Gda Dempsey said that the footage shows, “in my opinion, a black Honda Civic pass by, heading in the direction of Belturbet”,

He said that footage taken from the Gala Filling Station outside Belturbet shows a “small, dark coloured car” driving by at 4.44am on the same morning.

Earlier, Deputy State Pathologist Dr Michael Curtis told the court that Mr McGrath died as a result of “two close-range discharges from a shotgun to the left side of the head”.

The trial continues.