Courts / Dublin / Report
Getaway driver to be sentenced for role in murder of innocent family man
Summary
Eric Shorthall, aged 23 and resident in Ballyfermot, Dublin, is to be sentenced at the Central Criminal Court for his role as getaway driver in the May 2015 murder of Alan O'Neill in Tallaght. Shorthall pleaded guilty to impeding the apprehension or prosecution of Warren Nolan, who was convicted of the shooting in December 2018. Detective Garda evidence indicated that Shorthall, then 18, drove a strategically positioned second getaway vehicle in convoy with the primary hit car. CCTV footage showed communication between the drivers before the shooting. O'Neill, described as a devoted family man with no criminal connections, was shot in his Kiltalown Road driveway. The court heard victim impact statements from O'Neill's family members. The defence submitted that Shorthall had experienced significant personal tragedy and highlighted his early guilty plea. The investigation remains ongoing, though only Shorthall and Nolan have faced court proceedings. Sentencing is scheduled to conclude the hearing.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Getaway driver to be sentenced for role in murder of innocent family man. Charges or matters: impeding the apprehension or prosecution of Warren Nolan, the man convicted of murdering Alan O'Neill. Procedural stage: sentence
When:
- May 27, 2015 Incident
- December 2018 Incident
- 2020-11-16 Publication
Why: At a sentence hearing on Monday, Detective Garda Conor Harrison said that he and a colleague stopped Shorthall in a Nissan Almera at an area known as the Belfry in Tallaght because they thought he looked very young. CNI source report
Case subjects
Convicted Person
Charges: impeding the apprehension or prosecution of Warren Nolan, the man convicted of murdering Alan O'Neill (Admitted)
Plea: Guilty
Outcome: At a sentence hearing on Monday, Detective Garda Conor Harrison said that he and a colleague stopped Shorthall in a Nissan Almera at an area known as the Belfry in Tallaght because they thought he looked very young. Five years later we are still struggling to find ways to cope with our grief." Alan's mother Doris O'Neill said her son brought "love, laughter, wisdom and joy to us all." She said her son's life was taken and the family's lives were shattered. "We adored our Alan and he loved us, we will keep trying to do our best, to do Alan proud, as he always wanted people to do well." Mr Justice McDermott will sentence Shorthall tomorrow/
Places mentioned
- Central Criminal Court
- Muskerry Road
- Dublin
- Rowlagh Park
- Kiltalown Road
- Tallaght
Topics
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