Paul Wells Senior pleads not guilty to murder

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

Paul Wells Senior pleaded not guilty to murdering Kenneth O’Brien at his home in Barnamore Park, Finglas, on 15 or 16 January 2016. He admitted shooting Mr O’Brien dead and dismembering his body. He told gardaí that Mr O’Brien had wanted him to murder his partner.

The proceedings were reported on 15 October 2018. Gary Wells gave evidence at the Central Criminal Court on the fourth day of his father’s trial. He said his father asked him three times not to come home on the night of the killing. Gary said he normally stayed with his partner and child on Friday and Saturday nights. He said his father told him a friend was coming over; defence counsel Michael O’Higgins suggested that he was wrong about this, but Gary maintained it had been said.

Gary said that, when he returned home the following morning, he saw his father power-washing the ground behind the house and two bottles of bleach nearby. He also said his father later asked him to bring a tied bag to another man’s house and to take away rubbish. Gary believed the bag contained a chainsaw; Mr O’Higgins said there was no dispute that it did. The trial was continuing.