A Galway man (30) was today found not guilty of the murder of his cousin at the Central Criminal Court.
A jury of eight men and four women took less than half an hour to bring in a unanimous verdict finding Mr Patrick Harty not guilty of a charge of murder and not guilty to a second charge of possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life.
Mr Harty, a Traveller with an address at Carrowbrowne Halting Site, Carrowbrowne, Headford Road, Galway, had pleaded not guilty to the murder of his cousin Mr Thomas Harty (26) at Woodlands Park Halting Site, Ballymorris Road, Co Laois, over four years ago. Mr Harty had also denied the possession of a firearm.
The victim, Mr Thomas Harty, was killed by two shotgun wounds to the chest and back after he was shot in his bed by two intruders as he slept with his wife and family in their caravan on Sunday, May 16th, 1999.
Mr Harty sat alone in the dock today and looked nervously towards the jury as they re-entered courtroom Number 4 at the Four Courts. He showed little emotion as the not guilty verdict was read out. Members of both the deceased and Mr Harty's families were present in the public gallery to hear the verdict.