Frederick ‘Freddie’ Thompson convicted of Dublin murder

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

Frederick ‘Freddie’ Thompson was convicted of murdering David Douglas by judges at the Special Criminal Court and sentenced to mandatory life imprisonment, backdated to 1 November 2016. The proceedings were reported on 30 August 2018.

Thompson had pleaded not guilty to murdering Douglas on Bridgefoot Street in Dublin on 1 July 2016. His counsel, Michael O’Higgins SC, said he would appeal the decision.

The trial heard that Douglas, aged 55, was shot six times while taking a meal break at the counter of his partner’s shop. Justice Tony Hunt, who presided with Judge Flann Brennan and Judge Gerard Griffin, said the prosecution did not suggest Thompson fired the shots, but alleged that he was one of the people involved.

The report said Thompson had driven a Ford Fiesta involved in the murder plot. Justice Hunt said the car passed the shop four minutes before the shooting as a final check, and that Thompson was captured on CCTV acting suspiciously nearby. The defence argued that, although Thompson’s activities were suspicious, the prosecution evidence fell short of proof beyond reasonable doubt.

Justice Hunt said the prosecution had relied largely on circumstantial evidence. While no individual piece was enough on its own, the court was satisfied that the evidence taken together proved Thompson guilty beyond reasonable doubt.