Courts

Stephen Silver trial: Accused engaged in ‘chit chat’ with workmen on morning of killing, court hears

Accused man Stephen Silver had previously been escorted to a psychiatric unit by Garda Colm Horkan almost 20 years ago

Detective Garda Colm Horkan

Fiona Magennis
Tue Feb 14 2023 - 18:47

Stephen Silver, who is on trial accused of murdering Garda Colm Horkan with his own gun, engaged in “normal chit chat” with a number of workmen he met over breakfast on the morning the garda was shot and killed, the Central Criminal Court has heard.

Witness Seamus Horgan said he and two colleagues encountered Mr Silver while they were staying in a hotel in Dublin and over breakfast on the morning of June 17th, 2020, he struck up a “normal conversation” with them about sport, politics and work.

The jury also heard on Tuesday that Gda Horkan previously escorted Mr Silver to a psychiatric unit when gardaí were called to the Silver family home almost 20 years ago.

Retired Garda Sergeant Thomas O’Connor told the jury that gardaí were called to the home the accused shared with his family on October 29th, 2003, and Garda Horkan and his colleague travelled with Mr Silver to the psychiatric unit at Roscommon General Hospital as part of a garda escort.

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Mr Silver (46), a motorbike mechanic from Aughavard, Foxford, Co Mayo has pleaded not guilty to the capital murder of Garda Colm Horkan (49), knowing or being reckless as to whether he was a member of An Garda Siochana acting in accordance with his duty, at Castlerea, Co Roscommon on June 17th, 2020. He has pleaded guilty to manslaughter.

Witness Seamus Horgan told Michael Delaney, prosecuting, he was carrying out contract work on behalf of the ESB in Dublin and was staying in the Carlton Hotel in Tyrrelstown with two colleagues.

He said on the morning of June 17th, 2020 they chatted to the accused, Stephen Silver, who was not known to them at the time, and engaged in “normal chit chat.”

He said they had noticed Mr Silver with a female companion in the restaurant the night before but did not speak to them. He later encountered Mr Silver in the hallway upstairs when the accused was looking for his room and Mr Horgan pointed him in the direction of what he thought was his room number. “It was a normal passing conversation,” Mr Horgan said.

The witness said he and his colleagues next encountered the man at breakfast the following morning when they all took part in a “general conversation”.

“He mentioned Roscommon, he mentioned something about working in England. He was reading the paper. It was just normal chit chat,” Mr Horgan told counsel.

Asked by Mr Delaney what his recollections were of how the man interacted with him and his colleagues, Mr Horgan said: “I found it a normal conversation, a normal interaction with a stranger at breakfast.”

Mr Horgan’s colleague, Luke Mollahan, told prosecuting counsel James Dwyer he noticed the man in the restaurant the night before. He said the man had a goatee, sideburns and long hair tied back in a man bun.

Mr Mollahan said the man was talking to a female companion. He said he could hear the accused asking what was wrong and this was followed by a “small confrontation with a barman”.

“I knew there was some commotion, but I didn’t know what it was about. The man was somewhat aggravated,” the witness told prosecution counsel.

He said at breakfast the following morning he and his colleagues spoke to Mr Silver about the weather and work.

He said the conversation then moved on to politics and stuff he had seen in the paper. After the conversation dropped, Mr Silver reinitiated it and talked about where they were each from, the witness added.

His workmates told the man Mr Mollahan was from Roscommon and they talked about “my hometown, his hometown. He mentioned he had played football and rugby back home.” He said Mr Silver mentioned he had been in Tyrrelstown the previous day and there had been dead rats on the street.

The trial continues on Wednesday before Ms Justice Tara Burns and the jury of seven men and five women.

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