Courts / Meath / Report

Former murder accused turned State's witness wanted to give evidence from behind security glass, trial hears

Date
2014-11-19

Stage
Sentence

Primary locality
Gormanston

County
Meath

Summary

The Special Criminal Court trial of Dean Evans, Edward McGrath, and Sharif Kelly, who are accused of murdering Peter Butterly at the Huntsman Inn in Gormanston on March 6, 2013, continues before a three-judge bench. All three defendants have pleaded not guilty to the murder charge; Evans and McGrath also face firearm offences. Former co-accused David Cullen, who pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of a semi-automatic pistol and was sentenced to three-and-a-half years in July, testified as a State witness. Cullen admitted requesting to give evidence behind security glass to avoid public view, citing safety concerns, though he had not yet been accepted into the Witness Protection Programme. He alleged that Kelly and an unidentified man, MD, recruited him to retrieve a gun, which was later thrown from a car near Gormanston College. Cullen stated Evans and McGrath stayed at his apartment the night before the killing, with Evans providing ammunition and McGrath bringing a bag containing a gun and disguises. The court heard Butterly was lured to the car park, where shots were fired at his vehicle and then at him as he fled. The trial is ongoing and was not adjourned or finalised during this reporting period.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Former murder accused turned State's witness wanted to give evidence from behind security glass, trial hears. Charges or matters: murdering the 35-year-old; firearm offences at the same address, on the same date; the unlawful possession of a semi-automatic pistol at the Huntsman Inn on March 6th, 2013. Procedural stage: sentence

When:

March 6 2013 Hearing Or Sentence
Sunday March 3 2013 Incident
March 6th, 2013 Incident
2014-11-19 Publication

Case subjects

David Cullen

Accused

Charges: murdering the 35-year-old; firearm offences at the same address, on the same date; the unlawful possession of a semi-automatic pistol at the Huntsman Inn on March 6th, 2013 (Admitted)

Plea: Guilty

Outcome: Cullen was jailed for three-and-a-half years in July, having pleaded guilty to the unlawful possession of a semi-automatic pistol at the Huntsman Inn on March 6th, 2013.

Dean Evans

Defendant

Charges: murdering the 35-year-old; firearm offences at the same address, on the same date; the unlawful possession of a semi-automatic pistol at the Huntsman Inn on March 6th, 2013 (Alleged Or Contested)

Plea: Not guilty

Edward McGrath

Defendant

Plea: Not guilty

Sharif Kelly

Defendant

Plea: Not guilty