Murder jury shown hatchet in Limerick murder trial

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

Seán Flanagan and Paul Colbert are on trial for murder at the Central Criminal Court, while Ian Flanagan faces two counts of assisting an offender. The proceedings were reported on 12 November 2013.

All three have pleaded not guilty. The trial heard that Gerard McMahon was stabbed numerous times as he mounted the steps of his cousin’s house on 18 January 2012.

The State alleges that Seán Flanagan and Paul Colbert acted in joint enterprise to attack him. Garda Josephine Falvey identified a black-and-yellow-handled hatchet found during a search of the accused men’s home, while Garda Tom Keane identified a CCTV hard drive found the following day.

The trial continues before Mr Justice Garrett Sheehan and a jury of eight women and four men.