Key witness tells trial he wanted to keep murder accused 'away from the guards'

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.