Barrister is putting my life at risk, man tells murder trial

The driver of a BMW car in which a 25-year-old man was shot has denied suggestions he "deliberately drove him" to Cloverhill …

The driver of a BMW car in which a 25-year-old man was shot has denied suggestions he "deliberately drove him" to Cloverhill Prison last year, the Central Criminal Court has heard.

Robbie O'Hanlon (23) told the jury that defence barrister John Phelan SC was "making accusations" against him.

"Watch your mouth," Mr O'Hanlon told the barrister. "This fella is making accusations against me. He's also putting my life in danger," he told the court. "You're putting ideas in people's heads, you're bleeding brain dead," Mr O'Hanlon said to Mr Phelan.

Brian Kenny (36), of Kilshane Cross, Finglas, Dublin and Thomas Hinchon (25), of St Ronan's Close, Clondalkin have denied the murder of 25-year-old Dubliner Jonathan O'Reilly, of St Mark's Gardens, Clondalkin on April 17th, 2004.

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Mr Kenny also pleaded not guilty to threatening to kill Joseph O'Callaghan on April 17th, 2004 at Finglas. Mr Kenny denies the possession of a Beretta single automatic shotgun on May 10th, 2004 at Michelstown Cottage, Kilshane Cross. He also pleaded not guilty to possession of ammunition on the same date.

Mr Hinchon pleaded not guilty also to threatening to kill Mr O'Callaghan on April 17th, 2004.

The State alleges the deceased man was shot outside Cloverhill Prison as he sat in a BMW car. A motorcycle drew up beside the car and a number of shots were fired and struck Mr O'Reilly mortally wounding him.

Mr O'Hanlon, from Arthur Griffith Park, Lucan, admitted under cross examination by Mr Phelan that he had no insurance on the BMW car. Mr Phelan suggested to Mr O'Hanlon the logical place to have parked his car was on the left hand side of Cloverhill Road instead of the right, leaving Mr O'Reilly, in the passenger seat, exposed on the road.

Mr O'Hanlon told Mr Phelan he should get his facts right.

Mr Phelan asked Mr O'Hanlon "why or how the assassin knew precisely which car and what time you would be at Cloverhill Prison?" Mr O'Hanlon said he had "no idea whatsoever".

"You were the one that deliberately drove him" there, Mr Phelan suggested.

Mr Phelan went on to suggest to Mr O'Hanlon that it was strange that he ran towards his car when he heard gun shots alleging that it was for "show".

"You watch your mouth, I'm standing out of this box," Mr O'Hanlon said before leaving the witness box.

Mr O'Hanlon later returned to the witness box and under cross examination by Brendan Nix SC agreed that "there was word going around" that revenge was being sought against four men involved in a serious assault in 1996.

Two of the men involved in the altercation outside the Glue Pot pub in Clondalkin have subsequently been shot dead including Mr O'Reilly, a third shot and wounded and a fourth run off the road, the court heard. Patrick Hegarty, the jury heard, allegedly had a concrete block dropped on his head in this assault.

When asked by Mr Nix how he was able to buy a Volkswagen Golf for €13,000 cash and a BMW coupe for €6,250 cash when he didn't work, Mr O'Hanlon said it was none of the barrister's business.

The trial continues before Mr Justice Michael Peart.