A Limerick father of five who was trying to protect his family shot three men outside his home, killing one of them, a court heard yesterday.
Christopher McCormack (44), from Byrne Avenue Prospect, Limerick, admitted at Limerick Circuit Court yesterday shooting Mr David Noonan (29) in the back outside his home in 2000.
The court also heard that the accused had also injured Mr Derek Hayes (36, and had shot dead Mr Billy Power, who was 29 at the time, in the same incident.
However. the DPP instructed that no charges be brought against Mr McCormack in relation to the shooting of Mr Hayes and Mr Power, the court heard.
McCormack pleaded guilty yesterday to assaulting Mr Noonan, causing him harm, at Byrne Avenue Prospect on June 19th, 2000.
The court heard that McCormack shot Mr Noonan in the back after he called to his house with two other men shortly after 9pm.
Judge Carroll Moran was told that the three men were armed with a knife, a stick and a hammer and that McCormack believed they were also armed with a handgun.
Mr McCormack told gardaí that the three men came to his home looking for his son, Damian, whom they said they were going to kill.
The court heard that McCormack had also been threatened by the three men and that he fired at them with a legally held shotgun.
The accused told gardaí that the men said his son was "dead" and that they threatened to shoot him, too. "I had to protect my family. I did what I had to to," Mr McCormack told gardaí.
He said he took out his shotgun and cartridges after his daughter had come home and told him that three men were looking for the McCormack home and that one of them had a handgun.
Counsel for the State, Mr John O'Sullivan, said that Mr Noonan suffered a gunshot wound to the buttock and rear thigh area and that Mr Hayes suffered two gun-shot wounds to his abdomen and a further wound to his right upper thigh.
Judge Carroll Moran was told that Mr Power died as a result of his injuries.
Mr O'Sullivan went on to explain that, after considering the matter, the DPP did not bring any charges against McCormack in respect of the fatal injuries suffered by Mr Power or the injuries suffered by Mr Hayes.
Judge Moran offered his condolences to Mr Power's mother, who was in court yesterday. He imposed a three-year suspended sentence.