Garda murder accused gave 'shifting accounts' of shooting, prosecution tell jury

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.