A defence witness for John Dundon, who is accused of murdering rugby player Shane Geoghegan almost five years ago, has denied having any role in the the murder of the man.
The non-jury Special Criminal Court heard that convicted criminal Liam Casey was one of those who attended a meeting where Mr Dundon allegedly ordered a hitman to kill a neighbour of Mr Geoghegan’s.
However Mr Casey told the court today that while he often met Dundon, he was not in his house when the alleged meeting took place.
Mr Casey, who is serving a seven-year sentence for possession of firearms, admitted that he had a history of criminal convictions. Under questioning by counsel for Mr Dundon, he admitted that he was “not an honest person” and agreed that he would not like it if his daughter brought home someone like him. But he insisted that he was unaware of any discussion over plans to kill a neighbour of Mr Geoghegan’s and that he did not play any role in the killing.
Another prisoner, Nathan Kileen, was expected to give evidence today but he was not called by the defence.
The trial has heard from two sisters, Lisa and April Collins, who testified that they heard Mr Dundon plan the killing of another man, John McNamara, shortly before Mr Geoghegan was murdered. April Collins also testified that Dundon panicked when he heard that the wrong man had been killed just hours after Mr Geoghegan was shot dead.
Today, part of a transcript from another trial was read into the record in which Ms Collins agreed she was afraid of going to jail. She said she received a three-year suspended sentence on a criminal charge, a month after she gave a statement to gardai about the killing of Mr Geoghegan. Brendan Nix SC, for Mr Dundon, suggested earlier in the trial that Ms Collins had been granted immunity from prosecution in exchange for giving evidence against his client.
The State and the defence for Mr Dundon are due to make their closing arguments later this afternoon.
