Courts / Meath / Report
Former co-accused wanted "no more" to do with case, Butterly murder trial hears
Summary
In the Special Criminal Court, three men—Edward McGrath (32), Dean Evans (22), and Sharif Kelly (43)—pleaded not guilty to the murder of Peter Butterly (35), who was shot in the car park of the Huntsman Inn on 6 March 2013. The court heard that Butterly was lured to the car park by an unnamed man and that shots were fired from a Toyota Corolla. The prosecution will present forensic, firearm residue, DNA evidence and testimony from David Cullen (30), who was involved in the murder plan. Cullen, who had previously pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of a 9mm Beretta pistol, was jailed for three‑and‑a‑half years and later became a prosecution witness. He stated he wanted no more to do with the case and sought to separate himself from the accused.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Former co-accused wanted "no more" to do with case, Butterly murder trial hears. Charges or matters: the murder of Peter Butterly (35), who was shot dead in the car park of the Huntsman Inn at Gormanston, Co Meath, on March 6th, 2013; firearm offences at the same address and on the same date; the unlawful possession of a 9mm calibre Beretta model 9000s semi-automatic pistol at the Huntsman Inn on March 6th, 2013. Procedural stage: sentence
When:
- March 6th, 2013 Incident
- 2014-10-08 Publication
Case subjects
Accused
Charges: the unlawful possession of a 9mm calibre Beretta model 9000s semi-automatic pistol at the Huntsman Inn on March 6th, 2013 (Admitted)
Plea: Guilty
Outcome: In July, Mr Cullen was jailed for three-and-a-half years, having pleaded guilty to the unlawful possession of a 9mm calibre Beretta model 9000s semi-automatic pistol at the Huntsman Inn on March 6th, 2013. The disclosures include David Cullen's medical records, a laptop computer seized by gardaí, details regarding his application to the witness protection programme, records pertaining to his detention in Portlaoise Prison, legal notes made between Mr Cullen and his lawyers prior to him becoming a "crucial prosecution witness" and confirmation on whether or not he had ever been a garda informant.
Accused
Charges: the murder of Peter Butterly (35), who was shot dead in the car park of the Huntsman Inn at Gormanston, Co Meath, on March 6th, 2013; firearm offences at the same address and on the same date; the unlawful possession of a 9mm calibre Beretta model 9000s semi-automatic pistol at the Huntsman Inn on March 6th, 2013 (Alleged Or Contested)
Plea: Not guilty
Defendant
Charges: the murder of Peter Butterly (35), who was shot dead in the car park of the Huntsman Inn at Gormanston, Co Meath, on March 6th, 2013; firearm offences at the same address and on the same date; the unlawful possession of a 9mm calibre Beretta model 9000s semi-automatic pistol at the Huntsman Inn on March 6th, 2013 (Alleged Or Contested)
Plea: Not guilty
Accused
Charges: the murder of Peter Butterly (35), who was shot dead in the car park of the Huntsman Inn at Gormanston, Co Meath, on March 6th, 2013; firearm offences at the same address and on the same date; the unlawful possession of a 9mm calibre Beretta model 9000s semi-automatic pistol at the Huntsman Inn on March 6th, 2013 (Alleged Or Contested)
Plea: Not guilty
Places mentioned
- Tallaght
- Grange Park
- Pinewood Green Road
- Balbriggan
- The Special Criminal Court
- Harcourt Square
- Portlaoise
- Portlaoise prison
Topics
Related court reports
- Murderer's privacy rights not breached when gardaí listened in on KFC chat, court finds
- Privacy rights of 'New IRA' leader breached during surveillance, murder appeal told
- 'New IRA' leader should never have been convicted of dissident murder, lawyers argue
- Peter Butterly murderer fails in Supreme Court bid
- Sports complex manager sacked after taking two bottles of wine
- Man jailed for perverting investigation into dissident murder says he was unlawfully detained
If a fact, identity, locality or legal outcome needs review, email the newsroom with this report's details prefilled.
Email a correction request