The jury is expected to retire today in the trial of a man who denies the murder of a father of five who died after being shot on a quiet country road in Co Cork.
Yesterday, the prosecution and defence teams summed up their cases for the jury in the trial at the Central Criminal Court sitting in Cork of Michael Collins (29) of Upper Kilmona, Grenagh, Co Cork.
Mr Collins denies the murder of 42-year-old Pakie Hogan, who was fatally wounded in a shooting at Glen Road, Ballinraha, Blarney, Co Cork on February 10th, 2011.
Mr Collins also denies possession of a .22 Hornet calibre Rhoner rifle and possession of nine rolls of .22 inch Hornet calibre rounds with intent to endanger life on the same date.
Prosecution counsel Tim O’Leary SC described the shooting of Mr Hogan as “an ambush” in which Mr Collins lay in wait in a ditch.
Defence counsel Martin Giblin SC said the State was seeking to portray Mr Collins as a “cold-blooded assassin” when he was a “rank amateur” and “a bit of a gobshite”.
