Gunman on a bike shot dead 22-year-old in Athy, court told

A 22-year-old man was sitting on a wall chatting with friends when a hooded gunman approached on a bicycle and shot him three times, a jury at the Central Criminal Court was told on Wednesday.

James 'Jimmy' Lammon (44) of Cardington Way, Athy, Co Kildare has pleaded not guilty to the murder of Jason Doogue (22) in the Greenhills area of Athy on August 21st, 2015.

Opening the murder trial on Wednesday, prosecution barrister Kerida Naidoo SC said there is little doubt that Mr Doogue was murdered and that the prosecution's intention is to prove beyond reasonable doubt that James Lammon was the gunman responsible.

Outlining the circumstances of the young man’s death, he said Mr Doogue was sitting on a wall with a group of friends outside a house in Greenhills at about 5pm when a person wearing a balaclava and a hooded garment approached on a bike.

He said the person then took a gun from the waistband of his trousers and shot Mr Doogue twice in quick succession. He said it appeared the gun had a silencer attached.

The 22-year-old tried to escape by moving towards the house, he said, but the gunman came closer and shot him once more in the back. The gunman then left the scene on the same bike on which he had arrived.

Mr Naidoo said: “The Prosecution says the accused man was the man on the bicycle.”

He then told the jury that they are the judges of facts in the case, and the burden of proof lies with the prosecution.

The trial will continue on Thursday in front of the jury and Mr Justice Paul Butler.