Eamonn Cumberton pleads not guilty to Sunset House murder

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

Eamonn Cumberton pleaded not guilty at the Special Criminal Court to the murder of Sunset House manager Michael Barr. The proceedings were reported on 20 November 2017.

Mr Barr was shot at the pub in Dublin's north inner city on 25 April 2016. The court heard that two men wearing masks and boiler suits entered the pub. Prosecuting counsel Dominic McGinn SC said the evidence would be that they targeted Mr Barr, shooting him multiple times in the head and neck.

Mr McGinn said three people were seen attempting to set fire to a silver Audi shortly after the shooting. He said gardaí extinguished the fire and items found on the rear seat included loaded firearms, masks, balaclavas and boiler suits. He said ballistics evidence would show that the shots had been fired from a firearm found in the car.

Mr McGinn said analysis showed that Mr Cumberton's DNA was consistent with a mixed profile found on a black baseball cap and rubber mask in the Audi. The prosecution case was that Mr Cumberton was linked to the items and that those items were linked to the shooting. Bernard Condon SC, for the defence, said it would challenge all of the prosecution's evidence.

The trial was to proceed in a voir dire, or a trial within a trial, so the judges could decide whether evidence was admissible. It was adjourned for Mr Condon to consider additional evidence. The report said it would resume on Tuesday before Mr Justice Tony Hunt, sitting with Judge Patricia Ryan and Judge James Faughnan.