Woman allegedly shot by man trying to kill her boyfriend

A masked gunman shot a pregnant woman in front of her young daughter while intending to murder her boyfriend, the Central Criminal…

A masked gunman shot a pregnant woman in front of her young daughter while intending to murder her boyfriend, the Central Criminal Court has heard.

The gunman lost contact with his getaway car and had to commandeer a bicycle from a local youth. The getaway car later came back for him and he escaped, a prosecution barrister told a jury yesterday.

Mr Michael Counihane SC was making opening statements in the trial of Mr Paul Rowley (29), of Ballyfermot, Dublin, who has pleaded not guilty to the attempted murder of Mr John Alford at Ballyfermot Drive, Dublin, on December 11th, 1996.

Mr Rowley has also pleaded not guilty to maliciously intending to cause grievous bodily harm to Mr Alford's girlfriend, Ms Violet Blackburn-Power (31), and to unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition.

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Ms Blackburn-Power told Mr Counihane that some time before 10 p.m. on the night of the shooting, she and her daughter, Joy (4), were travelling in a car driven by Mr Alford.

Their car was repeatedly "smacked" from behind by a dark vehicle that appeared to be "full of men". The back window was smashed by repeated gunshots. Their car broke down and Mr Alford couldn't restart it. The other vehicle pulled up beside them and a man in a balaclava approached with a gun.

The man fired a number of shots at close range into their car and walked away. "I heard a ripping sound but I didn't know I was shot," Ms Blackburn-Power told Mr Counihane. She recalled that her daughter's nose was bleeding and that Mr Alford helped them to safety.

She said she was shot in the arm and had a bullet lodged in her knee.

The trial continues before Mr Justice O'Neill and a jury.