Stephen Silver, a forty-six-year-old motorbike mechanic from Foxford, County Mayo, stands trial at the Central Criminal Court on a charge of murdering Detective Garda Colm Horkan on 17 June 2020 in Castlerea, County Roscommon. Mr Silver has pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter by reason of diminished responsibility. The prosecution closing speech, delivered by James Dwyer SC, contended that Mr Silver was filled with significant anger towards An Garda Síochána and that the encounter with Garda Horkan provided an opportunity to act on that anger. The prosecution argued that Mr Silver's mental state was not impaired in any significant way and that his behaviour that day was purposeful and deliberate. The defence claims Mr Silver was suffering from bipolar affective disorder which diminished his responsibility. A consultant psychiatrist for the prosecution disputed this assessment. The jury will hear closing submissions from the defence before Mr Justice Paul McDermott provides further direction.
A man accused of murdering Detective Garda Colm Horkan gave inconsistent accounts of the shooting in the immediate aftermath and during garda interviews, a prosecution barrister told the Central Criminal Court on the twenty-first day of trial. James Dwyer SC said the accused's statements at the scene contrasted sharply with evidence he later presented in court, suggesting his account may have been constructed to support his defence rather than reflect accurate recollection. The prosecutor outlined how the accused initially denied the victim was a garda, subsequently claimed the victim identified himself but wore civilian clothing, and later suggested the victim may have been a drug dealer. The accused also provided varying explanations for how the victim sustained injuries. Stephen Silver, aged 46, a motorbike mechanic from Aughaward, Foxford, County Mayo, denies murdering Detective Garda Horkan at Castlerea, County Roscommon on 17 June 2020. He has pleaded guilty to manslaughter by reason of diminished responsibility. Expert psychiatric evidence differed on whether the accused's mental capacity was diminished at the time. Stephen Silver pleaded not guilty.
The Central Criminal Court trial of Stephen Silver, who denies murdering Detective Garda Colm Horkan, heard closing arguments are immencing. A prosecution psychiatrist told the jury that Mr Silver, aged 46, a motorbike mechanic from Aughaward, Foxford, County Mayo, was not psychotic and not suffering from delusions when he shot and killed the detective at Castlerea, County Roscommon on 17 June 2020. Professor Harry Kennedy said Mr Silver's execution of a complex sequence of actions, including gaining control of the weapon, firing multiple times, and aiming deliberately at the victim's trunk, demonstrated his capacity to form intent. Mr Silver accepts killing Garda Horkan but has pleaded not guilty to murder and guilty to manslaughter by reason of diminished responsibility. The defence called a psychiatrist who argued Mr Silver suffered from a mental disorder affecting his responsibility. Mr Justice Paul McDermott advised the jury that closing submissions and his legal charge would follow over several days.
A man accused of murdering Detective Garda Colm Horkan became severely mentally unwell the day before the shooting and his sister planned to have him admitted to a psychiatric hospital, the Central Criminal Court heard on Friday. Marian Bruen, a schoolteacher, told the trial of her brother Stephen Silver that during a phone call she noticed he was hyper-stressed, speaking rapidly, and displaying signs of paranoia. She recognised these as indicators that he required hospital admission. Silver, aged 46, a motorbike mechanic from Aughavard near Foxford in County Mayo, has pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter by reason of diminished responsibility. The offence occurred at Castlerea, County Roscommon on 17 June 2020. A prosecution consultant psychiatrist, Professor Harry Kennedy, told the court he did not believe Silver qualified for a verdict of not guilty by reason of insanity. He stated the accused showed no remorse during gardaí interviews and maintained heightened emotional states without evidence of fixed delusions. The trial continues.
At the Central Criminal Court, a consultant psychiatrist has disputed evidence that a murder accused's responsibility was diminished due to mental illness. Professor Harry Kennedy told Stephen Silver's trial that the accused, aged 46 and from Aughavard, Foxford, County Mayo, displayed a pattern of self-dramatising behaviour during confrontations with gardaí rather than symptoms typical of bipolar disorder. Professor Kennedy referenced a 2006 incident in which Mr Silver emerged from his apartment with a sword and helmet before eventually complying with gardaí, characterising this as theatrical rather than pathological. He argued that Mr Silver's actions surrounding the death of Detective Garda Horkan—including repeatedly firing a gun and selectively deciding how to cooperate with gardaí afterwards—demonstrated purposeful intent and rational decision-making inconsistent with diminished responsibility. Mr Silver has pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter by reason of diminished responsibility. The trial, before Mr Justice Paul McDermott and a jury, continues.
At the Central Criminal Court trial, consultant psychiatrist Dr Brenda Wright testified that defendant Stephen Silver, 46, suffered from bipolar affective disorder which significantly diminished his responsibility for the killing of Detective Garda Colm Horkan. Dr Wright diagnosed Silver with a severe mental illness characterized by mania, psychotic symptoms, and delusions, stating that his impairment in thinking and judgment contributed significantly to his actions. She supported the defense argument that under Section 6 of the Criminal Law (Insanity) Act, a jury should find him not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter by reason of diminished responsibility. Silver, a motorbike mechanic from Foxford, Co. Mayo, has pleaded not guilty to the murder of Det Garda Horkan, alleging he was reckless as to whether the victim was acting in accordance with his duty. He has also pleaded guilty to manslaughter by reason of diminished responsibility for the incident in Castlerea, Co. Roscommon, on 17 June 2020. Dr Wright noted that Silver's condition was exacerbated by his repeated failure to take prescribed medication, though she disagreed with the prosecution expert who argued he had intact mental capacity. The trial is ongoing before Mr Justice Paul McDermott and a jury, with cross-examination continuing.
A consultant psychiatrist told the Central Criminal Court that Stephen Silver's behaviour following the fatal shooting of Detective Garda Colm Horkan at Castlerea, County Roscommon on 17 June 2020 displayed possible signs of abnormal or manic mental state. Dr Brenda Wright, giving evidence at the trial of the 46-year-old mechanic from Foxford, County Mayo, described his conduct during garda interviews as bizarre and inappropriate, including grandiose claims about military rank and hostile outbursts. She noted his failure to grasp the gravity of his circumstances contrasted sharply with the professional demeanour of investigating gardaí. Dr Wright referenced Mr Silver's psychiatric history, including bipolar disorder and seventeen prior admissions since 1997. Mr Silver has pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter by reason of diminished responsibility. Dr Wright's evidence continues before Mr Justice Paul McDermott and jury.
Stephen Silver, a 46-year-old motorbike mechanic from Aughavard, Foxford, County Mayo, has pleaded not guilty to murdering Detective Garda Colm Horkan at Castlerea, County Roscommon on 17 June 2020. He has pleaded guilty to manslaughter by reason of diminished responsibility. The Central Criminal Court has heard evidence that Silver assaulted psychiatric staff nine months before fatally shooting the detective eleven times. Psychiatrist Dr Brenda Wright testified that Silver had been admitted to psychiatric units seventeen times since 1997, with diagnoses including bipolar affective disorder and schizoaffective disorder. She stated that Silver stopped taking medication following his release from hospital in September 2019. Dr Wright noted that by April 2021, after ten months on antipsychotic medication whilst in custody, Silver had returned to his normal state. The trial continues before Mr Justice Paul McDermott and a jury.
Stephen Silver, aged 46, a motorbike mechanic from Aughavard, Foxford, County Mayo, has given evidence at the Central Criminal Court regarding the death of Detective Garda Colm Horkan on 17 June 2020 at Castlerea, County Roscommon. Mr Silver has pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter by reason of diminished responsibility. During his testimony, he described a struggle with the detective during which he obtained the garda's firearm and discharged it eleven times as Garda Horkan fell to the ground. Mr Silver stated he was experiencing confused thoughts and acted in self-defence, believing he faced danger. Under cross-examination, counsel highlighted that Mr Silver had been admitted to psychiatric units seventeen times since 2003 and had discontinued prescribed medication despite medical advice, preferring how he felt without treatment. The trial before Mr Justice Paul McDermott continues.
A 46-year-old motorbike mechanic from Foxford, County Mayo, has testified at the Central Criminal Court that he was living in a shed without running water and had discontinued psychiatric medication in the weeks preceding the fatal shooting of Detective Garda Colm Horkan in June 2020. Stephen Silver, who has pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter by reason of diminished responsibility, told the court he experienced escalating mental distress characterised by delusional thinking, including beliefs that an acquaintance was an MI6 agent and that the SAS had planted explosives. He stated he had considered voluntary psychiatric admission the day before the incident but felt "hyper" and "elated" on the morning in question. Silver, diagnosed with schizo-affective disorder and bipolar disorder, disclosed he had abandoned prescribed medication believing it impaired his functioning, though he has resumed treatment since his arrest and reports feeling stable. His testimony before Mr Justice Paul McDermott and jury continues.
Detective Garda Colm Horkan, who was fatally shot two years prior, had assisted in admitting the man accused of his murder to a psychiatric unit in 2003, the Central Criminal Court heard on 25 October 2022. A retired garda sergeant gave evidence that he attended the family home of Stephen Silver near Castlerea, County Roscommon, following an incident that year, alongside Garda Horkan and others. Mr Silver was subsequently admitted to the local psychiatric unit due to his behaviour at that time. The accused, aged 46 and from Foxford, County Mayo, denies murdering Garda Horkan but has pleaded guilty to manslaughter on grounds of diminished responsibility. During interview footage viewed by the jury, a garda inspector questioned Mr Silver about the circumstances of the shooting at Castlerea Garda Station. The trial, before Mr Justice Paul McDermott and a jury, continues before the Central Criminal Court. The unnamed accused pleaded not guilty.
A psychiatrist assessed Stephen Silver, the accused in Detective Garda Colm Horkan's murder, hours after the shooting at Castlerea Garda Station in County Roscommon on 17 June 2020. Dr Will Monteiro, a consultant psychiatrist with three decades' experience, found no evidence of acute mental illness during his evaluation. The doctor noted that Mr Silver's speech and behaviour appeared within normal limits, though he was reluctant to engage in conversation and demanded his family's presence. Dr Monteiro concluded Mr Silver was fit to be interviewed. Under cross-examination, the defence highlighted that the assessment was incomplete, as Mr Silver had refused full evaluation, and that Dr Monteiro had recommended a formal forensic assessment. Mr Silver, aged 46 and from Aughavard, Foxford, County Mayo, has pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter by reason of diminished responsibility. The Central Criminal Court trial continues before Mr Justice Paul McDermott.
Stephen Silver, aged 46, a motorbike mechanic from Aughavim, Foxford, County Mayo, is on trial at the Central Criminal Court for the murder of Detective Garda Colm Horkan. The incident occurred on 17 June 2020 in Castlerea, County Roscommon. Mr Silver has pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter by reason of diminished responsibility. During interviews conducted at Castlerea Garda Station on 18 June 2020, Mr Silver claimed he acted in self-defence after being attacked by an armed man he did not initially recognize as a garda. He contended that Detective Garda Horkan was fumbling with his firearm and that he only discharged the weapon in defence. The jury viewed DVD recordings of these interviews with detectives. Mr Silver denied shooting the detective whilst on the ground and maintained he threw the gun away after obtaining possession of it. The trial continues before Mr Justice Paul McDermott and a jury.
Stephen Silver, a 46-year-old motorbike mechanic from Aughavain, Foxford, County Mayo, appeared before the Central Criminal Court where a video recording of his first garda interview was presented. Mr Silver denies murdering Detective Garda Colm Horkan in June 2020 by shooting him. During his interview at Castlerea Garda Station, Mr Silver told gardaí that Detective Garda Horkan initiated a struggle after approaching him on Patrick Street in Castlerea, and that during the confrontation, Detective Garda Horkan attempted to draw his firearm. Mr Silver claimed he acted in self-defence when the gun discharged during their struggle. He has pleaded guilty to manslaughter by reason of diminished responsibility but maintains his not guilty plea to murder. The trial, presided over by Mr Justice Paul McDermott with a jury of twelve, continues before the Central Criminal Court.
At the Central Criminal Court, a general practitioner testified that Stephen Silver appeared disconnected from reality in the hours following the fatal shooting of Detective Garda Colm Horkan at Castlerea, County Roscommon on 17 June 2020. Dr Greg Kelly described observing the accused, aged 46 and from Foxford, County Mayo, exhibiting restless and agitated behaviour at Castlerea Garda Station, including paranoid ideation and speech patterns suggestive of acute psychiatric disturbance. The doctor administered an anti-psychotic medication and recommended psychiatric assessment, believing Silver was experiencing a manic episode consistent with bipolar disorder. Later that day, Dr Kelly noted the accused appeared unnaturally detached from the gravity of events. The State Pathologist detailed that Detective Garda Horkan sustained eleven gunshot wounds, including injuries to vital organs, with forensic evidence indicating some shots were fired from close range. Silver has pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter by reason of diminished responsibility. The defence argues mental illness substantially reduced his culpability at the time of the shooting.
A key witness in the Central Criminal Court trial of Stephen Silver, who is accused of murdering Detective Garda Colm Horkan, has testified that he deliberately kept the accused away from gardaí on the night of the shooting in Foxford, County Mayo. James Coyne told the court that on June 17th, 2020, Silver called to his home and they travelled together to Foxford, where Silver transferred a motorcycle to him. When Silver later expressed interest in visiting Castlerea Garda Station a second time that evening, Coyne said he steered him away, fearing trouble. The court also heard that following his arrest at the scene, Silver urinated on his cell floor and may have self-harmed by striking his head against the wall. Gardaí described his behaviour as agitated. The trial, which continues before Mr Justice Paul McDermott and a jury, also heard CCTV evidence of Silver's movements on the day in question.
A witness told the Central Criminal Court murder trial that he heard the accused man say "If I didn't kill him, he would have killed me" at the scene in Castlerea, County Roscommon. Marcus Silvera, a resident of Main Street in the town, testified that he heard gunshots shortly before midnight on 17 June 2020 and observed a man with long hair and a black leather jacket walking in the street and shouting. Garda Enda Rowley also gave evidence, describing how the accused, Stephen Silver, was found handcuffed at the scene and later questioned at Castlerea Garda Station. Mr Silver, aged 46, a motorbike mechanic from Foxford, County Mayo, has pleaded not guilty to murdering Detective Garda Colm Horkan but has admitted manslaughter by reason of diminished responsibility. The trial before Mr Justice Paul McDermott continues at the Central Criminal Court.
Stephen Silver, a forty-six-year-old motorbike mechanic from Aughavale near Foxford in County Mayo, has pleaded not guilty to murdering Detective Garda Colm Horkan on June 17th, 2020 in Castlerea, County Roscommon. He has pleaded guilty to manslaughter on grounds of diminished responsibility. At the Central Criminal Court, Sergeant Michael O'Hara testified that upon arriving at the scene, Mr Silver told him he had retrieved a firearm from an unknown man who approached him on Main Street. When informed that he had shot a detective garda, Mr Silver allegedly responded negatively about the officer's competence. Gardaí at the scene described Mr Silver's demeanor and actions following his arrest. A witness living overlooking the location provided an account of the shooting itself. The trial, heard before Mr Justice Paul McDermott and a jury of twelve, continues.
A garda witness testified at the Central Criminal Court that Stephen Silver, aged 46, a mechanic from Aughavard in Foxford, County Mayo, displayed a "smirk" while verbally confronting him as he attempted to resuscitate Detective Garda Colm Horkan following the shooting in Castlerea, County Roscommon on 17 June 2020. Garda Aidan Fallon described observing two men fighting before hearing gunshots, then witnessing a man shoot another man lying on the ground twice. Upon discovering the injured man was Detective Garda Horkan, Fallon began CPR, during which the accused allegedly told him he was "doing it wrong" and "killing him". Mr Silver, who denies murder, has pleaded guilty to manslaughter by reason of diminished responsibility. The trial before Mr Justice Paul McDermott continues with cross-examination of the witness. Stephen Silver pleaded not guilty.
A member of An Garda Síochána gave emotional testimony at the Central Criminal Court today describing the moment she witnessed a gunman fire multiple shots at her colleague Detective Garda Colm Horkan as he lay on the ground in Castlerea, County Roscommon. Garda Helen Gillen told the court she and Garda Aidan Fallon were driving near the junction of Main Street and Patrick Street when they observed two men grappling before hearing what they believed to be gunshots. She said she saw a man emerge from nearby premises carrying a firearm and fire at the man on the ground, though she could not recall the exact number of shots fired. Garda Gillen stated the shooter was wearing a black jacket with a luminous stripe and a backpack. Stephen Silver, aged 46, a motorbike mechanic from Aughavard, Foxford, County Mayo, has pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter by reason of diminished responsibility in relation to Detective Garda Horkan's death on 17 June 2020. The trial before Mr Justice Paul McDermott continues.
A witness living near Castlerea, County Roscommon heard "roaring and shouting" and observed erratic behaviour in the minutes before Detective Garda Colm Horkan was fatally shot on June 17th, 2020, the Central Criminal Court has heard. Paul McGarry described seeing two men ducking behind walls and a motorbike being driven at speed without lights before hearing what he believed were gunshots at 11.50pm. A second witness, Laura McIntyre, reported seeing a bearded man in his 40s driving recklessly on the motorcycle, shouting about armed squads and firearms. Stephen Silver, aged 46, a motorbike mechanic from Aughavard, Foxford, County Mayo, has pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter by reason of diminished responsibility. Garda evidence outlined that earlier that day an agitated man had visited Castlerea station complaining about alleged abuse of an elderly person, with subsequent checks linking a blue van to Silver. The trial before Mr Justice Paul McDermott continues.
Stephen Silver, aged 46, a motorcycle mechanic from Foxford, County Mayo, has pleaded not guilty to the murder of Detective Garda Colm Horkan at Castlerea, County Roscommon, on 17 June 2020. He has pleaded guilty to manslaughter by reason of diminished responsibility. The Central Criminal Court heard that Detective Garda Horkan, aged 49 and with nearly 25 years' service, was fatally shot shortly before midnight after an encounter with Mr Silver on Patrick Street. Prosecution counsel outlined that Mr Silver told gardaí the garda attacked him and stated: "With all that's going on with the police in this world, I shot him." The post mortem examination revealed eleven gunshot wounds. The defence argues Mr Silver's responsibility is substantially diminished due to mental health difficulties. A psychiatrist will give evidence for both the prosecution and defence. The trial continues before Mr Justice Paul McDermott.
A jury has been sworn in at the Central Criminal Court for the trial of Stephen Silver, a 46-year-old mechanic from Aughavard, Foxford, County Mayo. Mr Silver pleaded not guilty to the murder of Detective Garda Colm Horkan, who died in the course of his duties in Castlerea, County Roscommon, on 17 June 2020. However, he entered a guilty plea to manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility. The jury, comprising seven men and five women, was cautioned by Mr Justice Paul McDermott that members with immediate family in An Garda Síochána should not serve. The trial is expected to last up to seven weeks. If convicted of murder, Mr Silver faces a mandatory 40-year sentence. The matter was adjourned to 7 October.
The Court of Appeal has upheld the 18-year prison sentence imposed on John Murphy, rejecting his appeal that the term was excessive, disproportionate, and unfair. Murphy, formerly of Foxford, Co Mayo, had pleaded guilty to numerous counts of rape, indecent and sexual assault against his daughter, Sophia Murphy, at locations in Co Galway and Co Mayo between 1988 and 2001, when she was aged three to 15. He also admitted to one count of sexual assault in 2010. In July 2018, Mr Justice Michael White at the Central Criminal Court sentenced him to consecutive terms totalling 18 years, noting the headline term for the "depraved" offences was life. Murphy's counsel argued the sentence failed to adequately weight mitigation, including his early guilty plea. However, Ms Justice Aileen Donnelly, sitting with Mr Justice George Birmingham and Ms Justice Isobel Kennedy, found no error in principle in the original sentencing. The court highlighted the victim's age and the ultimate breach of parental trust as key aggravating factors. Sophia Murphy, who waived anonymity, expressed relief at the decision, stating it validates her experience and encourages other victims to speak out. The judgment confirms the original sentence remains in effect.
Stephen Silver, aged 45, of Aughaward, Foxford, County Mayo, is charged with the murder of Detective Garda Colm Horkan on Main Street, Castlerea, County Roscommon on 17 June 2020. The charge alleges the accused acted knowing or being reckless as to whether the garda was a member of An Garda Síochána acting in the course of his duty. Silver's trial at the Central Criminal Court has been postponed from its scheduled date of 15 June to 4 October. The adjournment was granted after the court heard that a psychiatric assessment of the accused, being compiled by Dr Harry Kennedy, Clinical Director of the Central Mental Hospital, would not be completed in time. Mr Justice Paul McDermott acceded to the delay reluctantly but noted the importance of the trial proceeding "with a clear run" when it resumes. The case is next mentioned on 20 May.
The Central Criminal Court is set to resume with several high-profile matters, including the appeal of Aaron Brady. Brady, 30, was convicted by an 11-to-1 majority jury verdict for the murder of Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe in January 2013. He was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 40 years, plus a concurrent 14-year sentence for robbery. His appeal is expected in 2022. Other upcoming trials include that of Sameer Syed, 37, accused of murdering his wife Seema Banu and their two children in Rathfarnham in October 2021; his trial is scheduled for June 15, 2022. Michael Scott, 55, faces trial on January 11, 2022, for the alleged murder of Chrissie Treacy in Portumna in 2018. Stephen Silver, 44, is charged with the murder of Garda Colm Horkan in Castlerea in June 2020; his trial is also set for June 15, 2022. Additionally, an appeal by Boy B regarding the 2018 murder of Ana Kriegel is expected before the Court of Appeal. Boy B and Boy A were found guilty in 2019; both were 13 at the time, denied the offences, and were remanded to Oberstown Detention Centre.
A 44-year-old man charged with the murder of Detective Garda Colm Horkan has been scheduled for trial at the Central Criminal Court in June 2022. Stephen Silver of Aughaward, Foxford, County Mayo is accused of murdering the garda while he was acting in the course of his duty on Main Street, Castlerea, County Roscommon on 17 June 2020. Detective Garda Horkan, aged 49 and based at Castlerea Garda Station, died following a shooting incident in the town. The trial is expected to last five weeks. Mr Silver is currently in custody at the Central Mental Hospital in Dundrum. The court was informed of significant psychiatric treatment background in the case. Justice Michael White approved legal representation comprising two senior counsel and one research documentary junior for the defence. Mr Silver was sent forward for trial following presentation of the book of evidence in February.
A man formerly of Foxford, County Mayo, has been sentenced to 18 years imprisonment at the Central Criminal Court for the sexual abuse of his daughter throughout her childhood. John Murphy, aged 61, a former member of the Irish Defence Forces, pleaded guilty to rape, indecent assault and sexual assault of his eldest daughter between 1988 and 2001, with a further incident in 2010. The abuse occurred at locations in Counties Galway and Mayo when the complainant was aged between three and fifteen years. Mr Justice Michael White described the offending as characterised by "length, intensity and depravity" and noted the grave breach of trust involved. Murphy is currently serving an eight-year sentence imposed in February for sexual abuse of two younger sisters. The complainant, now aged 33, waived her right to anonymity and read a victim impact statement in court, urging others in similar situations to come forward and break silence surrounding abuse. The sentence was backdated to December 2017.