The jury in the trial of a man accused of murdering Detective Colm Horkan in Co Roscommon has heard the garda was shot eleven times.
Stephen Silver, a motorbike mechanic with an address at Aughavard, Foxford, Co Mayo, denies the capital murder charge but has pleaded guilty to manslaughter.
It is the prosecution’s case that Stephen Silver used Detective Colm Horkan’s standard issue firearm to kill him.
He is alleged to have murdered the 49yo garda near Main Street in Castlerea, Co Roscommon, just before midnight on the 17th of June, 2020.
In his opening address to the jury today, the prosecuting barrister told them they’d hear evidence of a shot being fired during an attempted arrest and that Mr Silver is alleged to have used Detective Horkan’s gun to repeatedly shoot him.
Detective Horkan suffered eleven gunshot wounds and had an injury to his left eye and the left side of his temple that looked like it may have been caused by a blow from the butt of a gun.
The jury heard Mr Silver later claimed Detective Horkan had attacked him and that he felt him reach for his holster and was sure he was going to die.
The trial will begin hearing evidence on Monday.
