A MAN charged in connection with a drive-by shooting in Limerick City last May was further remanded in custody at Limerick District Court.
John O’Donovan (18), of Valley View, Southill, is accused of three counts of using or possessing stolen cars used by the gun attack perpetrators.
Mr O’Donovan is also charged with one count of arson in respect of the car, which Gardaí allege was used in the shooting. He appeared before the court via video link from Limerick Prison.
At Tuesday’s hearing O’Donovan’s solicitor, Sarah Ryan, applied to “come off record”, meaning she was no longer representing the teenager.
O’Donovan confirmed another solicitor would be representing him in respect of the charges.
Gardaí described as “complex” the investigation into the gun attack during which a number of houses at Hyde Road were fired upon from a shooter driving a stolen Audi on May 8.
Although the homes were occupied at the time of the shooting, nobody was injured.
The drive-by attack was video recorded and shared on social media, Gardaí previously told the court.
During a previous hearing in June, Gardai alleged O’Donovan was “actively involved” in an ongoing “violent feud” with rival groups in the city, and that he was involved with others in the drive-by shooting.
Detective Garda Darragh Conroy told the June court that O’Donovan made “no reply” when cautioned after he was charged.
Objecting to bail in June, Detective Garda Conroy said a “semi-automatic firearm” was discharged at a number of “occupied” homes at Hyde Road, and that Gardaí observed “bullet holes” in the front windows and doors.
He alleged that a black Audi A4 and a white Lexus NX 300h were stolen in Dublin on April 25 and driven to Junction 14 service station, at Monasterevin, County Kildare.
Garda Conroy alleged O’Donovan and others attended the service station where “an exchange” of the stolen vehicles occurred, and that O’Donovan took possession of the Lexus SUV from a “Dublin criminal”.
The stolen cars were driven “in convoy” from the service station to Limerick. The Lexus, which Gardaí allege was driven by O’Donovan, was parked at the Kilmurry Lodge Hotel in Limerick until it was used again on the night of the shooting to ferry O’Donovan and others to Murroe, where Gardai located the Audi A4 “burned out”.
The court was told that Gardaí observed “bullet holes” in an “upstairs bedroom window” of one of the homes targeted in the gun attack, and that “shots were fired through the front door” of another.
“All of the houses were occupied. Eight spent 9mm cartridges were found at the scene,” Garda Conroy said.
He said the shooter – who was not identified in court – used “a semi-automatic firearm” and an accomplice filmed the shooting from the front passenger seat.
Garda Conroy further alleged that, prior to the shooting, O’Donovan was captured on CCTV at a filling station purchasing gloves and placing a container of petrol into the stolen Lexus.
The Garda also alleged that O’Donovan supplied the fuel used to torch the stolen Audi.
He alleged that O’Donovan’s phone was turned off prior to the shooting and turned back on again minutes after.
A text message was sent to O’Donovan’s phone explaining that Gardaí were on route to the scene of the shooting, Garda Conroy told the court.
A search of the online travel agency Booking.com was conducted on O’Donovan’s phone immediately after the text message was received, Garda Conroy alleged.
“It is my belief that he will continue to be involved in the feud, commit further offences, and there would be a further risk to property and risk of loss of life if he was granted bail,” Garda Conroy said.
Judge Carol Anne Coolican remanded O’Donovan in continuing custody to appear before Limerick District Court again for directions from the Director of Public Prosecutions on September 16.
– Court Reporting Scheme