A DUBLIN man shot his friend with a sawn-off shotgun outside a southside suburban shopping centre and then threw him from his car as a favour for drugs dealers, a court heard yesterday.
Jonathan Dunne told gardaí that he had fired two shots at Ian Kenny as Mr Kenny sat in Dunne's Volkswagen Golf car outside shops at Lakelands Road, Stillorgan, because he had been asked to return a favour by people.
Dunne said that when he was a 16-year-old he had lost £50,000 worth of drugs belonging to people who said they would let it go but he would owe them a favour.
The Central Criminal Court was told that Mr Kenny was hit in the side of the head and right shoulder by the shotgun blasts, had survived but is now on a life-support machine in St Vincent's Hospital.
Dunne (23), of Windmill Road, Crumlin, pleaded guilty last month to the attempted murder of Mr Kenny (21) of Monasterboice Road, Crumlin, at Lakelands Road, Stillorgan, on July 4th, 2007. He also admitted possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life on the same date.
Det Sgt Michael Gibbons told prosecuting counsel Denis Vaughan Buckley SC that Mr Kenny was shot as he sat in the front passenger seat of Dunne's car. The car was then driven off and Mr Kenny was pushed from it about 50m (165ft) away by Dunne.
Dunne told gardaí he had been forced to bring Mr Kenny with him in the car and shoot him.
"If I didn't, I was going to get a bullet in the head and my family as well."
Mr Justice Paul Carney remanded Dunne in custody for sentencing tomorrow.