A Co Sligo man accused of murdering a community activist told gardai he bought the shotgun used in the killing for £50 and disposed of it after the killing, the Special Criminal Court was told yesterday.
In statements to gardai, Mr Patrick McGrath said that after the murder of Mr Terry Madden he was "absolutely in bits. I cried several times. It was a huge mistake."
Mr McGrath said one of the other men accused of the murder, Mr Michael Doohan, had asked him to get somebody "to do a whacking job on somebody" and he introduced Mr Doohan to the third accused, Mr Joey Herron.
The court earlier ruled verbal and written statements made by McGrath to gardai in March last year were admissible in evidence.
It was the twelfth day of the trial of three men who deny the murder of Mr Madden, a 52-year-old father of three and FAS supervisor, at his home at Monasteraden, Co Sligo, on January 28th last year.
The three accused are: Mr Michael Joseph (Joey) Herron (31), a single man and native of Belleek, Co Fermanagh, with an address at Chapel Street, Ballyshannon, Co Donegal; Mr Michael Doohan (34), a single man and private in the Defence Forces, of Ashbury Lawn, Ballinode, Co Sligo and Mr Patrick McGrath (57), a married father of 12, of Cuilprughlish, Gurteen, Co Sligo.
Mr Herron also denies possession of a shotgun with intent to endanger life on January 28th last year. Mr Doohan and Mr McGrath also deny intentionally causing serious harm to Mr Madden at Monasteraden on the same date, and Mr McGrath denies possession of a sawn-off shotgun with intent to enable another person to endanger life.
The court has heard Mr Madden bled to death after he was shot in the back of both legs outside his home. The second shot to his right leg severed the main artery and vein, and the prosecution has claimed Mr Herron was the gunman.
Det Garda Richard Reidy said Mr McGrath made a written statement to himself and Det Garda Richard Caplice in which he said he knew Mr Herron for 14 years. Mr Doohan asked him to get somebody to do a "whacking job" on somebody and he told him to call and meet Mr Herron who would do the job for him.
"Joey told me that Doohan wanted Terry Madden to get a good hiding and he was going to do it for him," Mr McGrath said.
Mr McGrath said he bought a sawn-off shotgun for £50 and put it in a hide beside a tree at the back of his house. He said on the morning of the killing Mr Herron pulled in to the yard in his car and jumped out with the shotgun and put it back in the hide.
"He (Herron) said: `I did that job'. I knew he had shot Terry Madden and I was shocked," Mr McGrath said. He said later he moved the shotgun to a safe place about five miles away from his house.
"I am sorry for what has happened to the Madden family. I never intended for it to be like that," he said.
Det Garda Reidy said later Mr McGrath took detectives to a rubbish dump where they found a black bin liner with the murder weapon in it.
Det Garda Thomas O'Shea told the court that during an interview Mr McGrath was asked if he had planned to kill Mr Madden. Mr McGrath replied: "No, it was decided he was to be kneecapped and left in a wheelchair for the rest of his life." Mr McGrath said he decided to help Mr Doohan because he owed him a favour. The trial continues today.