The trial of a man accused of shooting dead a Detective Garda in Roscommon over two years ago has heard evidence of the moment Garda witnessed the fatal shots being fired.
Stephen Silver is charged with the capital murder of Colm Horkan in Castlerea in June 2020 but has pleaded guilty to manslaughter with diminished responsibility to the 2020 shooting.
Daniel Considine had this from the Criminal Courts of Justice.
Evidence from Gardaí at the scene of the shooting was heard before the jury this afternoon, with Garda Helen Gillen and Garda Aidan Fallon appearing in the witness box.
Garda Fallon stated that upon hearing shots as he passed two men struggling on the junction of St Patrick's Street and Barrack Street, he pulled the car into a blocking position across the road. The locally based Garda became visibly upset when describing seeing a man standing over another in the street and shooting him twice, following a number of other shots. On witnessing Stephen Silver throw the gun away, Gardaí approached the pair, arrested Mr Silver and attempted to render assistance to the victim who they then discovered to be their colleague Colm Horkan. Taking the stand this afternoon, Garda Aidan Farrell described calling for armed back up before being told there was none available locally.
Garda Fallon began CPR on the victim, before Garda Gillen took over until the emergency services arrived. While performing CPR, he said the other man told him he was doing it wrong – that he was killing him, and he claimed he had a smirk on his face when he said it. In addressing the court this afternoon, Garda Fallon, now based in Boyle, said he engaged with Mr Silver following his cuffing. As part of his evidence today, he claimed the accused stated 'I know what ye did to the black man in America' before mentioning 'Black Lives Matter', a reference to the murder of George Floyd following his detainment by US police. The garda also claimed that Stephen Silver told him he had covid before coughing several times in his face.
Following the statement to the court, both Garda Gillen and Fallon were cross examined by Roisin Lacey SC and Gerardine Small SC who pointed out Mr Silver's compliance with garda orders following the shooting. It was also put to both Gardaí that Stephen Silver repeatedly stated he didn't believe Detective Horkan was a Garda due to his dress and his carrying of a gun. The defence then questioned why Garda Fallon had not mentioned seeing the accused fire two shots into the victim in his previous statement before mentioning it in court today.
The trial continues at the Central Criminal Court tomorrow morning.
