Frederick ‘Freddie’ Thompson gets life for murder

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

Frederick ‘Freddie’ Thompson was found guilty of the murder of David Douglas and sentenced to mandatory life imprisonment at the Special Criminal Court. The proceedings were reported on 30 August 2018.

Thompson had pleaded not guilty. Douglas was murdered on Bridgefoot Street in Dublin on 1 July 2016. Justice Tony Hunt presided with Judge Flann Brennan and Judge Gerard Griffin.

Justice Hunt said the prosecution did not suggest Thompson had fired the shots, but that he was one of the people involved. The court heard that Thompson had driven a Ford Fiesta connected to the murder plot. The court also considered his failure to answer gardaí about his movements.

The defence argued that, although Thompson’s activities were suspicious, the prosecution evidence fell well short of proof beyond reasonable doubt. Justice Hunt said an innocent explanation of all the strands would require excessive reliance on unlucky coincidence. He said the circumstantial evidence, taken together, proved guilt beyond reasonable doubt.

The life sentence was backdated to 1 November 2016, when Thompson first went into custody. His counsel, Michael O’Higgins SC, said he would appeal the decision.