Pair accused of murder after body found in drain

Two men have gone on trial accused of murdering a 48-year-old father of six in Clara, Co Offaly.

Christy Daly’s body was found in a drain near his burnt out caravan in January 2014 – he’d been shot a number of times.

On January 7, 2014, Christy Daly’s body was found in a drain near his caravan on Bog Lane, just outside Clara in Co Offaly.

His home and two cars had been burnt out.

A post mortem revealed he had been beaten and shot a number of times.

Eight spent 9mm bullets were found at the scene, and two bullets of a similar make were found in a burnt out car at a nearby quarry.

Ross Allen of Kilmonaghan Lodge, Clara, Co Offaly and Matthew Gralton of Mount Prospect in Roscommon went on trial today for his murder.

It is the State’s case that a bag containing €30k worth of drugs was left on Bog Lane by Mr Allen and that he assumed Christy Daly had taken them when he could not find them on December 29.

He allegedly reported this to the owner of the drugs, a man described today as Mr X.

The prosecution believe Mr Allen and Mr Gralton played a role in two assassins being brought in from Dublin.

Both men deny the charge.