A man appeared before a special sitting of Navan District Court yesterday charged with the murder of a 20-year-old man in Ashbourne, Co Meath, on New Year's Day.
The court heard that Mr Tommy O'Brien, of Milltown Estate, Ashbourne, had replied "No" when charged on Sunday evening by Sgt Paul Tennant, of Ashbourne Garda station, with the murder of Mr Dermot McKeever at Milltown.
The preliminary findings of a post-mortem examination by the State Pathologist found that Mr McKeever died in the James Connolly Memorial Hospital, Blanchardstown, on Saturday night, as a result of gunshot wounds, approximately two hours after the shooting.
The court heard that the accused man was arrested at 6.41 p.m. on Sunday, and at 8.07 p.m., on the direction of the Director of Public Prosecutions, the sergeant charged him with murder.
Supt Pat Lambe, who is leading the murder investigation, asked Judge John Brophy to remand the accused man in custody to today's sitting of Dunshaughlin District Court.
Judge Brophy said that he had no power to grant bail because the charge was murder. Mr Liam Keane, solicitor, told the court that he hoped to make a bail application to the High Court.
Judge Brophy ordered that Supt Lambe be given 48 hours' notice of any such application. He granted legal aid and remanded the accused man to the court sitting at 10.30 a.m. today.