A man who is on trial for the murder of a Kilkenny postmaster whom he shot following a raid in which he took about €15,000, said "thanks" to postal clerks as he left, a court has heard.
Shu Shen (25), formerly of The Old Rectory, New Ross, Co Wexford, admits the manslaughter of Alan Cunniffe (32), on December 8th, 2006, but denies murder.
Mr Shen, a Chinese national, has pleaded guilty at the Central Criminal Court to stealing more than €13,000 from the post office on John's Green in Kilkenny and being in possession of a firearm with intent to commit robbery in relation to the same incident.
A jury heard from Heather White, a clerk who was working when the post office was raided. She said a man wearing a balaclava and carrying a gun in his left hand and a knife in his right hand came in. He pointed the gun at her shoulder and said "money now" in broken English.
Breda Cahill, another clerk, said he was saying "money, money, no harm" in broken English. The women let him into the clerks' area where the man emptied two tills into a bag. Both said they heard him say "thanks" as he left.
Peter Blanchfield, a delivery driver who was at the Centra supermarket nearby when the raid happened, told the court he ran from the store and saw Mr Cunniffe following someone. As he got closer he saw the pair struggling. Mr Cunniffe had the man up against a car near the Padmore and Barnes shoe factory on Wolfe Tone Street.
"When I got near the medical centre I seen the struggle then I heard a bang," said Mr Blanchfield. He saw Mr Cunniffe fall on to the pavement and the man run off.
He told Paul Coffey SC, defending, that he could not see the hands of either man during the struggle. "Could you see any weapon?" Mr Coffey asked. "No they were just close together," Mr Blanchfield said.
"They were cheek by jowl then there was a bang?" Mr Coffey asked. "Then there was a bang, yeah," Mr Blanchfield said.
Annie Redmond was in the post office but left as the raid took place.
She said people were yelling at Mr Cunniffe, "don't follow him. Don't follow him, Alan."
Edmond Condon told the court he was in his car when he saw two men running down Wolfe Tone Street. Mr Cunniffe caught up with the man and pulled his bag off his back.
"He spun around and pointed the gun at Alan Cunniffe," Mr Condon said. Mr Cunniffe put his hands in the air, the man turned and ran again and Mr Cunniffe followed, catching up with him again.
Dr Frank McKenna tended to Mr Cunniffe shortly after the shooting and said there was a 5mm bloody wound near Mr Cunniffe's belly button. He died at 3pm the same day.
Mr Justice Paul Carney has said he expected the case to last six days.