Murder trial adjourned

The trial of four Dublin men charged with murdering a father-of-three was adjourned for the day today after one of the jurors failed to turn up.

The men are on trial at the Central Criminal Court accused of the murder of John Carroll (aged 33), who was shot dead while socialising in Grumpy Jack’s Pub in the Coombe.

Father-of-two Bernard Hempenstall (aged 28) from Park Terrace, The Coombe, Peter Kenny (aged 28) of McCarthy’s Terrace, Rialto; Christopher Zambra (aged 35) of Galtymore Road, Drimnagh; and Damien Johnston (aged 27) of Cashel Avenue, Crumlin have all pleaded not guilty to his murder on February 18, 2009.

It is the State’s case that Peter Kenny was the gunman, Damien Johnston drove him to the scene, Bernard Hempenstall ensured the victim was in the pub and that Christopher Zambra was the brains behind the murder.

The trial is expected to resume tomorrow morning before Mr Justice Barry White and the jury of eight men and four women.