John Dundon appeal against conviction for murder to go ahead this month

Over 15 years after harmless rugby participant Shane Geoghegan was shot lifeless in a case of mistaken identification, the Limerick gangster who ordered the hit has been allotted a brand new authorized workforce and can have his enchantment in opposition to his homicide conviction heard this month “come what might”.

Final month, John Dundon was accused of partaking in a “cynical ploy” after he sacked his legal professionals and requested for an adjournment of his enchantment in opposition to the conviction.

Dundon advised the Courtroom of Attraction that he discharged his legal professionals after discovering that they had been unable to advance a floor of enchantment that the appellant mentioned had been recognized in current months. The three judges of the court docket granted an utility for Dundon’s then legal professionals to withdraw from the case.

Dundon mentioned he didn’t need to go into element about an extra floor of enchantment however mentioned it associated to issues that weren’t disclosed to him forward of his trial and that he was advised didn’t exist however he’s now ready to show did exist. He mentioned he had instructed his authorized workforce to lift this floor of enchantment however determined to discharge them when he claimed he was advised they “hadn’t carried out it correctly”.

Sean Guerin SC, for the Director of Public Prosecutions, mentioned Dundon was partaking in a “cynical ploy” and that he had used an analogous tactic at his trial in 2013.

On the Courtroom of Attraction on Monday, solicitor Phelim O’Neill, instructing Morgan Shelley BL, utilized to come back on the report for Dundon and was advised that the enchantment listening to would go forward on April twenty second. Dundon was additionally granted free authorized help for his new workforce. Dundon spoke solely to verify to the judges that he wished to rent Mr O’Neill.

Mr Justice John Edwards mentioned the matter had been marked as peremptory in opposition to Mr Dundon concerning the April twenty second date. “The expectation is that it’s to proceed on April twenty second, come what might… and that’s the tip of the matter,” mentioned Mr Justice Edwards.

Mr Justice Edwards mentioned motions for brand spanking new grounds of enchantment and sworn affidavits had been to be accomplished upfront and mentioned the court docket “will count on whole readability on what’s and isn’t being proceeded one week upfront of the listening to”.

Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy mentioned Dundon’s workforce additionally needed to serve the State with any related paperwork “in enough time for the State to deal with it”.

Each the Particular Legal Courtroom and the Excessive Courtroom had beforehand rejected Dundon’s bids to have his 2013 homicide trial adjourned.

Dundon (41) previously of Hyde Highway in Limerick, was convicted on the Particular Legal Courtroom in 2013 of ordering the hit that killed Mr Geoghegan close to the 28-year-old sufferer’s dwelling at Clonmore, Kilteragh, Dooradoyle, Limerick, on November ninth, 2008. He’s serving a life sentence.

Mr Geoghegan performed rugby for Garryowen in Limerick and had been watching an Eire worldwide sport at a buddy’s home earlier than heading dwelling shortly earlier than 1am. He had simply texted his girlfriend, Jenna Barry, to say he was on his manner when she heard photographs being fired exterior.

Mr Geoghegan was shot 5 instances with a Glock semi-automatic pistol. The deadly shot was to the again of the top.

It was the State’s case that Mr Geoghegan was the unintended sufferer of a taking pictures that was meant for one more man and was ordered by John Dundon.

Key prosecution witness April Collins gave proof that Dundon ordered Barry Doyle to kill the opposite man.

Doyle admitted throughout Garda interviews that he shot Mr Geoghegan in a case of mistaken identification. Doyle, of Portland Row in Dublin 1, later pleaded not responsible at trial to the homicide however was discovered responsible by a jury on the Central Legal Courtroom and jailed for all times.