Dublin man gets 20-year sentence for shooting friend

A Dublin man has been given a 20-year sentence for the attempted murder of his lifelong friend.

Patrick McCann (20) of Decies Road, Ballyfermot pleaded guilty to the attempted murder of Luke Wilson (19) at Liffey Gaels, GAA club, Memorial Park, Inchicore on January 13th, 2013.

He also pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life at the same place on that date.

The Central Criminal Court heard the two men met in the Memorial Park in Inchicore over a firearm, which the court heard was not the subject of this case.

The court heard Mr Wilson was shot in the arm, neck and face but escaped death because the gun jammed twice and McCann ran off.

In sentencing Mr Justice Paul Carney said the case "might as well have appeared in the Love/Hate script".

“I have a priority here that not everyone may agree with,” said Mr Justice Carney.

“Last weekend over one million people tuned into the last episode of Love/Hate and the following morning something which might as well have appeared in the Love/Hate script was poured out in a sentencing hearing in this court.

“It is not going to go out from here that figures in gangland can have an assassination carried out by preying on somebody vulnerable in the expectation that if the enterprise fails there will be great leniency extended on account of that person’s vulnerability,” he added.

Mr Justice Carney handed down a 20-year sentence and suspended the final three years.

He said that McCann’s background of dependence on drink and drugs since the age of 12 and that he came from a dysfunctional family afforded little or no defence.

Det Sg t Michael O’Brien told the court that Mr Wilson had made an arrangement to meet McCann that day at the Memorial Park.

Det Sgt O’Brien said McCann and Mr Wilson knew each other “since they were in nappies.”

When they met in a secluded area of the park, Mr Wilson said McCann was rooting around in the bushes and noticed he was quite jumpy.

He said they decided to walk back to a footbridge and that McCann was fiddling around in his jacket and took out a gun.

One shot hit Mr Wilson in the neck and he fell to the ground and then McCann shot him in the right arm.

Mr Wilson said he then felt another shot and could hear ringing in his head. He said McCann was standing over him when he was shot in the arm and head.

Mr Wilson said McCann went to shoot him again but heard the gun jam. He said McCann was bent over him and it felt like he was searching his pockets before he took off.

McCann dropped his mobile near where Mr Wilson lay and he rang ‘999’ on it believing it was his own phone.

Mr Wilson told emergency services he was shot and he thought he was going to die. He dragged himself to a nearby footbridge and a jogger came to his aid.

Mr Wilson was brought to St James’s Hospital and later to the Eye and Ear Hospital for treatment. He initially did not name McCann as the individual who shot him but later told gardaí who did, the court heard.

Paul Carroll BL, prosecuting, said Mr Wilson did not want to provide a victim impact statement to the court.

Mr Carroll told the court that a medical report said Mr Wilson had wounds to his face, neck, right forearm and that bullet effectively destroyed his right eye, which was completely gone. The court heard he had associated cerebral stroke, palsy in his right arm, permanent scars, damage to vertebrae and may require further surgery.