Shane Geoghegan’s girlfriend gives evidence at Dundon murder trial

The trial of a Limerick man charged with murdering rugby player Shane Geoghegan resumed yesterday at the Special Criminal Court.

John Dundon (30), Hyde Road, Limerick has pleaded not guilty to the murder of Shane Geoghegan (28) at Clonmore, Kilteragh, Dooradoyle, Limerick, on November 9th, 2008.

It is the prosecution case that the Garryowen player was the unintended victim of a shooting meant for another man. It alleges that Mr Dundon ordered the killing of the actual target, a man named John McNamara, who lived near him.

Mr Geoghegan's girlfriend, Jenna Barry, testified yesterday that she last heard from him at 12.53am on November 9th, when he texted her to say he was on his way home. The court had heard that he was in a friend's house across a green area from the home he shared with Ms Barry.

Did not arrive
She said she tried calling him and texted him when he did not arrive home after sending that message.

She said she then heard two loud bangs outside and thought they were fireworks. However, she said their dogs began barking and there was something about the way they were barking that caused her to go outside. She said she saw a young man with his hood up running towards a dark space wagon in the middle of the road.

She said the engine was running, the middle door was open and the man jumped in.

She said she heard somebody screaming: “Drive, drive”, and heard wheels screeching. She dialled 999 and texted Mr Geoghegan.

“I sent Shane a text just after one o’clock saying: ‘I think there’s been a shooting up the road’.”

The three-judge non-jury court also heard from State Pathologist Prof Marie Cassidy, who carried out a postmortem on Mr Geoghegan's body.

Gunshot wounds
She said she found five gunshot wounds to his head and trunk, which had injured his brain and right lung.

The pathologist said there was damage to Mr Geoghegan’s skull and the bones around his eye socket, tearing of his cerebellum and damage to his brain stem. She said he would have been incapable of movement and would have died quickly after sustaining the brain injury. She concluded that death was due to gunshot injuries to his head and trunk.

Earlier, Tom O'Connell SC, prosecuting, told the court that a key witness in the case, Lisa Collins, was in hospital for appendicitis. He said keyhole surgery was due to be carried out and that she should be fit to give evidence next week.

However, he said that if there were any complications, he might have to ask the court to defer hearing her evidence until October.

The trial had previously been adjourned after another witness was admitted to hospital. Mr Justice Nicholas Kearns, presiding, adjourned the trial to today.