Third man to face trial over murder of Tyrone dissident Michael Barr

A third man will stand trial at the Special Criminal Court for the murder of Tyrone dissident Michael Barr at the Sunset House pub in north inner-city Dublin almost five years ago.

On Wednesday, the court accepted an ex parte application (where only one side is represented) from the Director of Public Prosecutions Claire Loftus to hear the case before the non-jury court.

State solicitor Michael O'Donovan told the court that Christopher Slator (36) of Carnlough Road, Cabra, Dublin 7, had been sent forward from the district court on March 31st, 2021, and is charged with the the murder of Mr Barr on April 25th, 2016.

On the night of April 25th, 2016, the father of five was socialising at the pub, where he was a manager, and was shot seven times – five times in the head – after two armed males burst in wearing “Freddy Krueger” masks.

On Wednesday, Mr Justice Tony Hunt, presiding, said that there had already been two cases before the Special Criminal Court relating to the murder.

In November of last year, British car thief David Hunter (42) with an address at Du Cane Road, White City, London, was jailed for life for the murder.

Hunter was the second man to be found guilty after Eamonn Cumberton (33), of Mountjoy Street, Dublin 7, was also convicted of Mr Barr's murder in January 2018 and sentenced to life.

Both Hunter and Cumberton had pleaded not guilty.

Mr Slator is to appear before the three-judge court on Monday of next week.