A MAN has been charged with the murder of two men shot dead in a gun attack in Dublin’s south inner city last Sunday evening.
Gary Howard (22), with an address at Dunsoghly Grove, Finglas, Dublin, appeared before a special sitting of Dublin District Court last night.
He is charged with the murders of Brendan Molyneux (46) and Paddy Mooney (58) at Mr Mooney’s flat in the Pearse House local authority complex off Pearse Street, Dublin 2.
Mr Howard was brought into court amid tight security which saw members of the media and the accused’s supporters searched by gardaí before they entered the court room at the new Criminal Court Complex on Dublin’s Parkgate Street.
The accused was brought into court wearing a bulletproof vest. As he entered the court he pulled his tracksuit and underwear down and slapped his buttocks and shouted to Judge Pat McMahon: “Judge, spank that hairy arse . . . Take it out of that.”
He continued to shout during the five-minute hearing and at one point began singing: “I shot the sheriff but I didn’t shoot the deputy.”
Det Insp Mick Cryan of Pearse St Garda station told Judge McMahon that Mr Howard was arrested at Kevin Street Garda station at 7.26pm yesterday.
The two murder charges were put to him at the station at 7.45pm by Sgt Brian Hoy.
Det Insp Cryan told the court that when the charges were put to the accused he replied: “That’s a stitch-up” and “that’s another f***ing stitch up.”
He told a court: “It’s a stitch-up, they may as well have used a sewing machine.”
He was remanded in custody to appear before Cloverhill District Court next Thursday, January 21st, at 10.30am. There was no objection to an application for free legal aid made by his solicitor Jenny McGeever.
At the conclusion of the hearing, Mr Howard refused to stand up as Judge McMahon left the court. He shouted: “I don’t recognise the court. I’m not standing up.”
He continued shouting as he was taken from the court and addressed RTÉ’s crime correspondent, Paul Reynolds, saying: “Paul Reynolds, you dirt bird you”.
He was restrained by two gardaí as he appeared to try to spit at the reporter.
Gardaí held the media and Mr Howard’s supporters in the court until the accused had been led out of the building into Garda cars outside and driven away.
Mr Howard was one of four people arrested in the hours after the double murder last Sunday evening.
One of the men arrested was released without charge, while another man and a woman were still being held last night.