SEVERAL WITNESSES have told the trial of a Dublin man accused of murdering one of his best friends that they saw their neighbour Dara McCormack on the ground in their Blanchardstown estate, with two men in balaclavas standing over him.
Aidan Finnegan (30), Whitestown Avenue, Hartstown, Blanchardstown, is on trial at the Central Criminal Court. He is pleading not guilty to murder.
The witnesses described hearing a loud bang at about 9pm on Saturday, February 11th, 2006, and looking outside to see Mr McCormack (22) lying on his back and trying to defend himself by kicking at the men.
By the time the witnesses came outside, the two men had run away and Mr McCormack was bleeding on the ground.
George Hynes, described the men as being about 5ft 10in tall, dressed all in dark clothing and wearing balaclavas. He ran outside to hear Mr McCormack say: “Get my da, I’ve been shot.”
Tara Power described how she heard arguing outside her house. She looked out the window to see the two men and Mr McCormack on the ground with his legs raised.
As she opened her window to tell the two to leave him alone, she saw a long object which she thought was a bicycle pump, protruding from one of the men’s sleeves, and heard a loud bang.
She ran outside and brought a pillow to put under Mr McCormack’s head as they waited for emergency services to arrive. She said he asked for his dad and she shouted at a boy on his bike to get Mr McCormack’s father.
Thomas McCormack has told the court in his evidence how a young neighbour on a bike came to the door and told him his son had been shot. He found Dara on the ground injured and bleeding, with a group of neighbours gathered around.
The case resumes today.