The trial of five Limerick men charged with the murder of Kieran Keane and the attempted murder of his nephew opened amid tight security in Dublin's Cloverhill Courthouse yesterday.
It is the first time that the Central Criminal Court has conducted a trial in Dublin outside the Four Courts or Green Street Courthouse.
Opening the case for the State, Mr Denis Vaughan Buckley SC, prosecuting, told the jury of seven men and five women it was the State's case that all five accused men were involved in the abduction and murder. He said the prosecution case depended "wholly or substantially" on the evidence of Owen Treacy, Mr Keane's nephew.
Mr Buckley told the jury they will hear evidence from Mr Treacy that on the day of the killing, he travelled in Mr Keane's car to an area near the Fairgreen, Limerick, where they met a man identified in court as "Mr X", who is not one of the accused.
Anthony "Noddy" McCarthy and Desmond Dundon were also there and Mr McCarthy was armed with a handgun, it is claimed. The jury would hear that Mr Dundon asked them to telephone a Mr Callopy to get him "out the road" but he refused to make the call.
The jury would also hear that there were a number of other men present wearing balaclavas and Mr Treacy will say he recognised one as David "Frog Eye" Stanners.
Mr Treacy will also tell the jury that Mr Dundon tied his and Mr Keane's hands behind their backs, placed hoods on their heads, taped them down and Mr X led them out.
The two were then ordered into the boot of a car driven by Mr McCarthy, with Mr X in the passenger seat. They were driven to another house in Roundwood Estate. On arrival, the hoods were taken off and they were asked again to ring the Callopys. Mr McCarthy then walked them down to a van at gunpoint.
Kieran Keane asked Anthony McCarthy if he was coming and he said "no". Mr Treacy would tell the jury that David Stanners drove, James McCarthy sat in the front seat and Christopher Costelloe sat in the back.
He would also say that Mr Costelloe had a gun in his hand which he thought was a .38 revolver.
Mr Treacy and Mr Keane were ordered to lie on the floor of the van with blankets over them. They were driven around for about 35 minutes. Mr Treacy will say that David Stanners pulled Kieran Keane out of the van while Smokie Costelloe held the gun.
He will say he saw Mr Stanners throw Mr Keane on the ground and shoot him in the head, while Mr Costelloe held on to Mr Treacy. Counsel said Mr Treacy would tell the jury Mr Stanners came towards him with a gun.
Mr Costelloe allegedly stuck a knife into his neck following which David Stanners took the knife, "looked him straight in the eye and said 'that's the last face you're going to see'." He then stabbed Mr Treacy in the side.
Mr Treacy would also say he heard James McCarthy say "come on, come on he's dead". They then left the scene. When Mr Treacy went over to his uncle he could see he was dead and he went for help.
Mr Buckley told the jury Mr Treacy had known most of these men for years. Counsel said they would also hear evidence that Kieran Keane died from a single gun shot to the head and also sustained six knife wounds near his left ear, while Mr Treacy sustained multiple stab wounds.
Mr Justice Carney warned the jury there was a great deal of "inaccurate material floating around".
The five accused men have pleaded not guilty to the murder of Kieran Keane (36), Garryowen, last January 29th at Drombana, Limerick. The accused men also deny the attempted murder of Mr Keane's nephew, Owen Treacy, St Mary's Park, Limerick, on the same date and at the same location and to falsely imprisoning Mr Treacy.
They are: Desmond Dundon (20), Hyde Road, Limerick; David Stanners (31), Pineview Gardens, Moyross; James McCarthy (24), Delmege Park, Moyross; Christopher "Smokie" Costelloe (20), Moylish Avenue, Ballynanty Beg; and Anthony "Noddy" McCarthy (21), Fairgreen, Garryowen.
The trial continues today.