Darren Wynne jailed for Kildare shotgun murder

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

Mr Justice Garrett Sheehan sentenced Darren Wynne to life in prison for murder at the Central Criminal Court. The proceedings were reported on 23 July 2014.

Wynne had pleaded not guilty to murdering Jamie Lindsay. During his trial, he pleaded guilty to manslaughter, but the Director of Public Prosecutions did not accept that plea.

On 10 July 2014, the jury returned a unanimous verdict of guilty of murder. Wynne was also convicted of possessing a sawn-off shotgun and ammunition with intent to endanger life on the occasion of the killing.

Jamie Lindsay, aged 20, was killed at Coney Green, Coneyboro, Athy, on 6 April 2013. The report said Wynne shot him in his right eye at almost point-blank range with a sawn-off shotgun after a background of mutual threats.

Wynne told gardaí that Lindsay had threatened him over €1,000 for missing cannabis herb and had also threatened to rape his grandmother. He said he shot Lindsay in the shoulder, had only wanted to kneecap him and did not mean to kill him.

Sentencing for the firearms offences was adjourned until November, when probation and psychological reports were to be before the court.