Frederick ‘Freddie’ Thompson pleads not guilty to murder

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

Frederick ‘Freddie’ Thompson is on trial at the Special Criminal Court for the murder of Dublin shoe shop manager David Douglas. He has pleaded not guilty. The proceedings were reported on 4 May 2018.

Douglas was shot dead on Bridgefoot Street in Dublin on 1 July 2016. The report said he was shot six times while eating in his partner’s shoe shop, and a semi-automatic pistol was found beside his head.

Prosecuting counsel Sean Gillane SC said four vehicles and their occupants, including Thompson, were operating together that day. On 3 May 2018, Detective Garda Raymond Kane testified that he had no doubt Thompson made two marks on a birthday card and two on the rear-view mirror of a blue Mitsubishi Mirage. He also matched a mark on the rear-view mirror of a silver Ford Fiesta to Thompson.

Garda Ronan Lawlor said an inhaler and a parking ticket were among items recovered. Under cross-examination, he agreed that an inhaler left behind could connect a person to a vehicle, but gave little assistance as to when it was placed there. Defence counsel Michael O’Higgins SC said a fingerprint on the parking ticket was not Thompson’s and emphasised that the defence’s DNA was on the inhaler.

The trial was due to continue on 4 May before Mr Justice Tony Hunt, presiding with Judge Flannan Brennan and Judge Gerard Griffin.