Closing speeches heard in Nathan Killeen murder trial

This report is a localnews.ie summary based on public court reporting and records; sources are listed below.

Closing speeches continued on 27 June 2014 in the trial of Nathan Killeen and Wayne Dundon at the non-jury Special Criminal Court before presiding judge Ms Justice Iseult O’Malley. Both faced the charge of murdering 35-year-old Roy Collins at Coin Castle Amusements, Roxboro Road Shopping Centre, on 9 April 2009.

Both men had pleaded not guilty. The proceedings were reported on 27 June 2014.

The report said Roy Collins was working around noon when a gunman entered the arcade and fired a single shot into his chest. He remained conscious for a time but could not be saved. The prosecution case was that Wayne Dundon directed the murder from prison, Nathan Killeen was the getaway driver and James Dillon was the gunman.

Detective Garda David Baynham gave evidence that he saw two males walking from Garryglass Avenue at approximately 12.20pm on 9 April 2009 and recognised Nathan Killeen. He said he wanted to speak to them because he suspected involvement in the shooting, but they ran from the patrol car.

Defence counsel Giollaiosa O Lideadha SC argued that the circumstantial evidence could not support a conviction without reliance on witnesses he described as “gang associates”. He submitted that their evidence could not be relied upon beyond reasonable doubt and that corroboration could not arise if they were found unworthy of credit. If their evidence were set aside, he argued, the remaining case boiled down to Nathan Killeen running and hiding when seen with a person against whom there was evidence of carrying out the shooting.

The report said closing speeches would continue on Monday.