The jury at a Central Criminal Court trial of an Army sergeant accused of the murder of another man heard yesterday that the accused threatened a group of friends who were drinking in a local pub in Ashbourne, Co Meath, on the day of the fatal incident.
Sgt Tommy O'Brien (37), Milltown Estate, Ashbourne, Co Meath denies the murder of Mr Dermot McKeever (20), at the Milltown Estate on January 1st, 2000. Mr John Collins told prosecution counsel Ms Orla Crowe that he and a number of friends met O'Brien in Kelly's pub in Ashbourne on New Year's Day of last year. He said O'Brien "started getting rowdy" and insisted that Mr Collins was in fact a member of the O'Brien family. When Mr Collins said this was not the case, the accused repeated the claim a number of times and then told him "he was going to get a gun and blow my head off", he said. Mr Pat Gregan was with Mr Collins in Kelly's pub and he also told the court about the encounter with O'Brien.
He said the accused was "arguing for no reason" and when the barman asked him to leave O'Brien told the group "I'll be back and I'll blow the heads off the whole lot of you". Lieut Col Hayes also gave evidence to the court. Lieut Col Hayes worked as commanding officer of the unit O'Brien served with in the Lebanon in 1984.
He said he too had met O'Brien in Kelly's pub on the same day and while he initially thought he was "in good form" and seemed "reasonably happy", he felt that he later became "rude" to his friend Mr Con Scanlon.
Mr Scanlon is a native of Co Kerry and O'Brien questioned him about coverage of the Irish Civil War that he had seen on RT╔ which referred to Co Kerry.
Lieut Col Hayes felt the conversation was "too focused" and was embarrassing him and Mr Scanlon so he asked O'Brien to leave.
Sgt O'Brien further denies the possession of a double-barrelled shotgun on the same date with the intent to endanger life. The trial continues today before Mr Justice Patrick Smith.