Advertisement

We need your help now

Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open.

You are visiting us because we have something you value. Independent, unbiased news that tells the truth. Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission, but this year it has not been enough.

If you've seen value in our reporting, please contribute what you can, so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism. For everyone who needs it.

Sasko Lazarov via RollingNews.ie
Courts

Two men found in burning car died of gunshot wounds to their heads, court hears

A 35-year-old Dubliner is charged with murdering the two men.

TWO DUBLINERS, WHOSE bodies were found in a burning car six years ago, died of gunshot wounds to their heads, the Central Criminal Court has heard.

The evidence was given to the court yesterday in the trial of a 35-year-old Dubliner charged with murdering the two men, who the prosecutor described as ‘small-time criminals’.

Jason O’Driscoll, with an address at Richmond Avenue, Fairview is accused of murdering fellow Dubliners 31-year-old Anthony Burnett and 25-year-old Joseph Redmond on 7 March 2012 in Co Louth.

He has pleaded not guilty to both charges and the jury will be asked to use circumstantial evidence to convict him.

Alexander Owens SC, prosecuting, yesterday read out the report of the pathologist, who carried out the post-mortem exams on both bodies.

Dr Khalid Jaber, who was Deputy State Pathologist at the time, said that he viewed the charred remains of both men at the scene before carrying out the autopsies.

He said that several bones had broken due to the heat of the fire and that some of their features were no longer identifiable.

He retrieved fragments of projectiles from their heads, which a garda already testified had constituted two bullets to each head.

Dr Jaber gave the cause of their deaths as gunshot wounds to their heads, with cyanide poisoning a secondary cause in Redmond’s case. Cyanide in his blood would have resulted from the burning of the vehicle, he explained.

The trial will continue on Monday before Justice Michael White and a jury of five women and seven men.

Comments are closed as legal proceedings are ongoing.