Man found guilty of cycle-by murder in Co Kildare

A 44-year-old man has been found guilty by unanimous verdict of a “brutal and pre-meditated” murder.

James Lammon of Cardington Way, Athy, Co Kildare, had been charged with the murder of Jason Doogue in the Green Hills area of Athy on August 21, 2015. The jury at the Central Criminal Court took just over two and a half hours to reach the verdict.

They found he was the masked and hooded gunman who cycled up to the garden where Mr Doogue was talking with friends and shot him three times before cycling away.

Mr Justice Paul Butler thanked the jury for their service and exempted them from duty for 10 years.

On hearing the verdict, Lammon smiled towards his legal team and spoke with them briefly before prison officers led him away from the courtroom.

After a brief break Mr Doogue’s sister Stephanie took the stand and told the court that Jason was the “best brother in the world” and a “loving uncle and best friend”.

She said he “took a very big part of all of us with him” when he died and would forever be in the thoughts of his family and friends.

Those who knew Jason would pass on his memory to the younger generation of the family, “because they will never have a chance to know him” she said, adding that he had many goals, but all opportunity was taken from him.

Detective Sergeant John Boland told the court Lammon has 20 previous convictions, including drugs offences, possession of a stun gun, breaches of the Public Order Acts, violent disorder, criminal damage and larceny.

Mr Justice Butler described the killing as “brutal and pre-meditated” and said “there is only one sentence” before handing down the mandatory life sentence. He backdated it to when Lammon went into custody on August 21st, 2015.