Jury told to put ‘emotion aside’ in Adrian Donohoe murder trial

The judge in the trial of a man who denies the capital murder of a garda has told the jury to put emotion and sympathy aside when considering the facts of the case.

Mr Justice Michael White addressed the jury on Wednesday and explained that a “couple of matters” had arisen in the case.

He said the trial is a “complex and difficult” one where “human sympathy for the deceased may be very high on your minds”.

He told them that they are acting as judges of the facts and in doing so they “have to put emotion and human sympathy aside and that may be difficult in this case but it is absolutely warranted”.

He further reminded them of their oath to try the case in accordance with the evidence.

Aaron Brady (28), from New Road, Crossmaglen, Co Armagh, has pleaded not guilty to the capital murder of Det Garda Adrian Donohoe while he was on active duty on January 25th, 2013 at Lordship Credit Union, Bellurgan, Co Louth.

Mr Brady has also pleaded not guilty to a charge of robbing approximately €7,000 in cash and assorted cheques on the same date and at the same location.

In the afternoon the jury heard the first evidence in the trial, with Det Garda Laura Bolger, a member of the Garda Technical Bureau’s mapping section, explaining how she created a series of maps showing areas of interest in the trial to prosecuting counsel Lorcan Staines SC.

Sean Patrick Hennessy, a photographic officer with the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI), told Mr Staines that the PSNI and Garda cooperated in the investigation into Det Garda Donohoe’s death.

He described a number of photographs he took on a road close to a place referred to on the maps as “burn site”.

The trial continues.