Seán Ducque pleads not guilty to Dublin murder

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

Seán Ducque has pleaded not guilty to murdering Kieran Farrelly.

His trial began on Wednesday at the Central Criminal Court. The proceedings were reported on 22 June 2017.

The charge concerns the killing of Kieran Farrelly on 26 October 2014 at Killarney Court, Killarney Street, Dublin. Mr Justice Paul Butler was hearing the case with a jury comprising six women and six men.

At the trial opening, defence barrister Hugh O’Keeffe SC said Seán Ducque admitted firing two shotgun shots that killed Kieran Farrelly on 26 October 2014. He said the shotgun was subsequently found on Mabbot Lane.

Laura Dempsey testified that Kieran Farrelly pleaded with Seán Ducque after the first shot. She estimated that only a few seconds separated the shots.

Laura Dempsey said she had expected Kieran Farrelly to be beaten and had been unaware of the gun. She said his partner had urged that he be beaten after he slapped her during an argument.

Laura Dempsey also said Seán Ducque had taken crystal meth that night and had threatened to shoot Kieran Farrelly in the legs.

The trial was expected to run for two weeks. Laura Dempsey was scheduled to resume her testimony on Thursday afternoon.