A 32-YEAR-OLD man has been remanded in custody after being charged with murdering James Hughes in Dundalk in the early hours of last Sunday morning.
Mr Hughes, who was a father of three and well known for his involvement with Crossmaglen Rangers, was a passenger in a taxi when he was shot.
Shane Rogers, Deery Terrace, Inniskeen, Co Monaghan, appeared before Dundalk District Court yesterday morning.
He was charged with murdering James Hughes at Carrickmacross Road, Dundalk, on Sunday night.
The court heard he was arrested and charged at Carrickmacross Garda station on Monday night by Sgt Kieran Moore.
Sgt Moore told the court that after being charged Rogers said: “I apologise to him and to his family and friends and to Trish Byrne.
“I am sorry for what I did. I can’t live with myself for doing this.”
Garda Insp Paul Kiernan said the State wanted the accused to be remanded in custody to Cloverhill District Court next Tuesday.
Defence solicitor Martin Crilly put it to Sgt Moore that the accused had contacted him on the morning of the incident and had spoken to him on the telephone.
He had voluntarily made his way to Carrickmacross Garda station Mr Crilly said and the witness agreed with him. From the first time the accused had met gardaí he was, the court heard, very remorseful for what had happened.
The witness also said he had been truthful and explained in full what had happened.
He was devastated by what happened, the court heard. Asked by Mr Crilly if he accepted the remorse was genuine, Sgt Moore said “very genuine”. The solicitor said he had been instructed to express his client’s remorse to Mr Hughes’s family and his sorrow over what happened.
Mr Crilly said the accused has become a suicide risk in the last day and he asked Judge Flann Brennan to refer him to the psychiatric services.
There was no application for bail or for legal aid.
The judge remanded him in custody to appear in Cloverhill District Court next Tuesday.
He directed that he receive medical and psychiatric attention.
Throughout the hearing Rogers, had his hands clasped in front of him and he looked at the ground.