Two men yesterday pleaded not guilty to the “brutal, callous and shocking” murder of Vincent Ryan three years ago.
The Central Criminal Court heard the 25-year-old father was shot dead in broad daylight as he sat in his car on McKee Road in Finglas, North Dublin, after dropping his partner and baby at her home.
Jurors were told that no witness would identify the accused, Paul O’Beirne and Jeffrey Morrow, as the gunmen were in another car from which the shots were fired.
Prosecutor Paul Burns said some of the evidence would include CCTV footage from O’Beirne’s own home that day, allegedly showing him disposing of a seat cover from a car matching the description of the one used in the killing.
The 36-year-old, of Colepark Drive in Ballyfermot, and Morrow, 37, of Burnell Court, Coolock, each deny murdering Mr Ryan on February 29, 2016.
Opening the trial, Mr Burns said: “The prosecution do not have a witness who was on McKee Road and can identify them as the gunmen in the car, from which the shots that killed him were fired.
“You can nevertheless be satisfied beyond reasonable doubt that the accused are guilty of the murder.”
Mr Burns described it as a case that relied to a large extent on circumstantial evidence.
He added: “The shooting of Vincent Ryan was brutal, callous and shocking, carried out in broad daylight in a residential area at time when you could expect young children to be coming home from school or out playing on the street.”
Mr Burns said the evidence would show the accused were the occupants of a silver Volkswagen Golf from which the fatal shots were fired.
A stolen silver Golf was found burning on the outskirts of Naas, Co Kildare at 4.30pm that day.
The owner had previously gotten a seat cover to protect his car from his two dogs.
Mr Burns said: “When gardai carried out searches, the car seat cover was found in a bin at [an address on] Colepark Drive, the home of Mr Paul O’Beirne.”
The trial continues this morning.
