Frederick Thompson seeks directed verdict in murder case

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

Frederick ‘Freddie’ Thompson’s lawyers asked the Special Criminal Court to direct a not guilty verdict in his murder trial. The proceedings were reported on 31 May 2018.

Thompson pleaded not guilty to murdering David Douglas on Bridgefoot Street in Dublin on 1 July 2016. The trial heard that Douglas was shot six times at his partner’s shop. The prosecution did not argue that Thompson carried out the shooting.

The prosecution case was that four vehicles and their occupants operated together. The court heard that Thompson’s DNA was found in two alleged spotter cars and that detectives identified him on CCTV as the driver of one car. The State’s case also included finger marks in the Mitsubishi Mirage and Ford Fiesta.

Defence counsel Michael O’Higgins SC argued on 31 May that there was no forensic connection between Thompson and the Suzuki Swift or Mercedes. He said the forensic findings did not establish when Thompson had been connected to the other vehicles, challenged the CCTV identification and argued that there could be no safe assumption because different drivers used the cars at different times.

Prosecution counsel Sean Gillane SC opposed the application and asked the court to consider the evidence together. Presiding judge Mr Justice Tony Hunt, sitting with Judge Gerard Griffin and Judge Flann Brennan, said the court would rule on the application the following day.