Jury told to consider state of mind of bog lane murder accused

A jury must try to understand the state of mind of a man accused of murder for his role in a violent killing on a remote bog lane, a judge has said at the Central Criminal Court.

Ross Allen (25), of Carrickmines, Co Dublin has pleaded not guilty to the murder of 47-year-old Christy Daly on December 29th, 2013 at Bog Lane, Kilbride, Clara, Co Offaly.

Justice Patrick McCarthy told the jury of five women and six men that they have three verdicts open to them. They can convict him of murder, or find him not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter, or acquit him.

To reach their decision they will need to consider what was in Mr Allen’s mind when he traveled with two armed gunmen to Mr Daly’s home and acted as lookout while they beat and shot him several times. Justice McCarthy will continue his charge to the jury this afternoon.