Stephen Silver sentenced to 40 years for Garda murder

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

Stephen Silver was sentenced to life imprisonment, with a minimum term of 40 years, for the capital murder of Detective Garda Colm Horkan at the Central Criminal Court on 19 April 2023.

The jury found Silver guilty after he denied murder but pleaded guilty to manslaughter on grounds of diminished responsibility. The jury rejected the manslaughter alternatives and found him guilty of murdering a garda acting in the course of duty.

Judge Ms Justice Tara Burns said the sentence was mandatory and that she had no discretion. She also highlighted Silver’s history of mental health treatment and his decision to stop taking prescribed medication.