Prosecution alleges ‘assassins’ killed man living alone

Assassins murdered a man living alone in a country lane because he found a €30,000 stash of drugs belonging to a criminal gang, said the prosecution at the Central Criminal Court on Monday.

Patrick Marrinan SC was opening the trial of two men accused of murder for their alleged part in the killing of 47-year-old Christy Daly at Bog Lane, Kilbride, Clara, Co Offaly, on a date between December 29th, 2013, and January 7th, 2014.

Matthew Gralton (22), with an address at Mount Prospect in Co Roscommon, and Ross Allen (25), with addresses in Carrickmines, Co Dublin and Clara in Offaly, have pleaded not guilty to the murder.

Mr Marrinan told the jury that the prosecution’s case is that both men admitted to being involved in the killing during interviews with gardaí in February 2014.

He said that the jury would hear that neither admitted to being the actual gunman, but that “Ross Allen and Matthew Gralton had a role to play” in the killing.

Concealed narcotics

He said the prosecution would show that Mr Allen hid drugs worth €30,000 on the laneway where Mr Daly lived, but when he returned to pick them up on December 29th, 2013, they were missing.

He said this was reported to a Mr X, who owned the drugs, who sent for two members of a criminal gang in Dublin.

He described the men as “assassins” who carried out the killing of Mr Daly.

Mr Marrinan said that the jury would hear from state pathologist Marie Cassidy that Mr Daly suffered multiple gunshot wounds and blunt force trauma "that would indicate a beating".

He said eight 9mm Luger bullets were discovered near where Mr Daly lived. Two similar bullets were found in a Volvo car that was parked by the quarry where Mr Daly’s body was found.

He said Mr Daly was estranged from his wife and was released from prison in 2013. After his release he went to live in a caravan at Bog Lane, an isolated country lane, where he dealt in motor cars. Early on December 29th, he said Mr Daly was with another man and that they both noticed two people on the laneway.

Mr Marrinan said one of those men was Mr Allen. Mr Daly then left with his son to go socialising in Navan, Co Meath, with his brother. His son left him home again at 8pm that evening.

“That was the last that was heard of Christy Daly,” said Mr Marrinan. His body was discovered by gardaí in a drain on January 7th, 2014.

The trial continues on Tuesday in front of Justice Patrick McCarthy and the jury.