The daughter of a man charged with murder told a jury in the Central Criminal Court yesterday her mother had been having an affair with the victim at one point.
Ms Trudy Brennan, daughter of one of three men accused of murder, said her parents were facing difficulties in their marriage and her mother had been having an affair with the murdered man.
Mr Patrick Brennan (53), of St Ita's Street, St Mary's Park, Limerick, has denied murdering Mr Sean Colbert (53), of Lenihan Avenue, Prospect, Limerick, outside his home on August 9th, 1996.
Mr William O'Neill (27), of no fixed abode but previously of Garryowen, Co Limerick, and Mr Patrick Brennan's son, Mr Andrew Brennan (28), of St Munchin's Street, St Mary's Park, have also denied the murder.
Ms Brennan, who at the time of Mr Colbert's murder had been Mr O'Neill's girlfriend, said she had told gardai Mr O'Neill was not in their home when the murder occurred but that she had done so "under duress".
Ms Brennan said she had also signed her statement "under duress", which was given to Garda Ted Hennessy and Garda Jim Carroll, and that Mr O'Neill was in fact in their home all night on the night Mr Colbert was shot.
Opening the trial, Mr Ralph Sutton SC, prosecuting, told the jury Mr Patrick Brennan had "procured" his son, Andrew, and Mr O'Neill to kill the victim, who died after being shot at least twice on the steps of his home.
Mr Sutton said the prosecution would contend that Mr Andrew Brennan and Mr William O'Neill were the two men who fired the fatal shots and that Mr Patrick Brennan devised, directed and operated the killing of Mr Colbert.
The court heard that on the evening of his death, Mr Colbert was returning from a public house and was walking up the steps of his home when the shots were fired. Bullets found at the scene and injuries to Mr Colbert's body indicated that a .22 revolver had been fired, penetrating the lung, which was the main cause of death.
Mr Sutton said that before the shots were heard, two men were seen approaching the vicinity, dressed in black and wearing balaclava-type hats.
Shortly after the shots were heard, two men were seen running away from the scene. The prosecution would contend that those two men responsible for the shooting were Mr Andrew Brennan and Mr William O'Neill.
The trial continues today.