THE MAN who admitted shooting rugby player Shane Geoghegan gave gardaí rosary beads to give to Mr Geoghegan’s mother, his trial has heard.
Former bricklayer Barry Doyle (25) took the white plastic beads from around his neck shortly after making the admission at Bruff Garda station in Limerick.
Mr Doyle, a father of three, with addresses at Portland Row, Dublin and Hyde Road, Limerick, has pleaded not guilty to murdering Mr Geoghegan (28) on November 9th, 2008. He was shot dead in a suspected case of mistaken identity across the road from his home at Clonmore, Kilteragh, Dooradoyle.
Det Garda Sgt Mark Philips of the National Bureau of Criminal Investigation was giving evidence yesterday of an interview he conducted with Mr Doyle on the morning of February 27th, 2009. It was his second day in the witness box at the Central Criminal Court trial.
“The previous night, when we had completed our interview with Barry Doyle, he took a set of white plastic rosary beads from around his neck, threw them on the interview table and asked us would we give them to Shane Geoghegan’s mother,” he said regarding a reference in the interview notes.
The detective identified the rosary beads in court before continuing his evidence about the interview with Mr Doyle.
“Are you religious?” asked the detectives of Mr Doyle. “Not really,” he responded. “Do you believe in God?” he was asked. “I do and I don’t,” he said.
Mr Doyle was asked whether he admitted the shooting because he felt guilty. “My bird was involved as well,” he replied.
“Was your intention to kill the person you shot?” he was asked. “I told you I shot him. I followed him and I shot him,” he responded.
“Obviously it was your intention to kill him. Is that fair to say?” he was asked again later. “Yeah,” he responded.
Mr Doyle marked on a map the garden into which he chased Mr Geoghegan.
“I seen Shane up against the wall . . . I leaned over and shot him . . . twice, just twice in the head,” he said.
“He asked me to stop,” he said, adding that he said nothing to Mr Geoghegan.
The detective said Mr Doyle was also asked about the gun jamming and he gestured to them how he fixed it. “He held out his right hand as if he had an imaginary pistol. With his left hand, he pulled back an imaginary slide,” Det Sgt Philips added.
The detective said Mr Doyle had described the killers as “vicious” when he first interviewed him on February 24th, 2009, days before he made the admissions.
Det Garda Gerry Hogan, who had arrested Mr Doyle, testified that he also first interviewed him that February 24th.
Mr Doyle said nobody deserved to die and said he condemned the killing, but he said he could not remember where he was when Mr Geoghegan was shot.
“I remember,” said the detective. “I remember him. I remember that night. It was wet. Shane Geoghegan died afraid and frightened. I remember I saw his face. He died in fear and in terrible pain,” he added.
“I have a clear conscience,” Mr Doyle responded.