The testimony in a Central Criminal Court trial disclosed that a murder suspect approached a Garda police station and reported that a deceased man was hidden in his closet. The suspect informed the Garda officers that the victim lost his life during a heated altercation, subsequent to accusing the defendant of thieving heroin. A threat was also made by the deceased who insisted the defendant would exit in a “body bag” unless he compensated him with €5,000, a lawyer shared with the court.
The prosecution, led by Cathleen Noctor SC for the Director of Public Prosecutions, initiated Dean Caffrey’s trial on Thursday. It was revealed to the jurors that the accused had reported to the Garda station two days after the disappearance of Sean McCarthy was officially reported.
The testimony revealed that Mr Caffrey was taken into custody and admitted during questioning that Mr McCarthy was armed when demanding €5,000. A physical altercation ensued, during which Mr Caffrey managed to get hold of the weapon and shot Mr McCarthy, which led to his death.
A police search of Mr Caffrey’s flat revealed a body stashed in a closet, concealed beneath a suitcase and under a black rubbish bag tied with adhesive tape.
Pleading not guilty to the murder charge of Sean McCarthy (28), Mr Caffrey (38), a resident of Beaucourt, Achill Road, Drumcondra, Dublin 9, has been accused of the crime allegedly committed between August 2nd and 7th, 2022.
Ms Noctor informed the jury, comprising seven males and five females, about Mr McCarthy’s last known whereabouts on August 2nd, 2022, when his mother last saw him while dropping him near Mr Caffrey’s residence.
Mr McCarthy was reported missing on August 4th, and Mr Caffrey later reported to Ashbourne Garda station two days following that report. He disclosed to the police that a man’s dead body was tucked away in his apartment wardrobe, indicating he died from fatal injuries following a struggle over a firearm.
Ms Noctor revealed that Mr Caffrey confessed to the police that he was involved in an unsettled drug deal with another individual, which later became Mr McCarthy’s responsibility. As part of the agreement, he kept narcotics and a firearm in his flat. However, towards the end of July, Mr McCarthy accused Mr Caffrey of stealing heroine from one of his parcels. He arrived at Mr Caffrey’s flat on 2nd August demanding €5,000 as compensation or threatened Mr Caffrey with violent retaliation.
During the police interrogation following his apprehension, Mr Caffrey claimed that the firing of the gun was unintentional and declared self-defence as the reason. Additionally, Ms Noctor mentioned that Mr Caffrey had lobbed the weapon into the Tolka River underneath a pedestrian bridge, a mere 15 minutes walk from his residence. The police managed to discover a black pistol attached with a magazine from the Tolka river, matching Mr Caffrey’s description.
Ms Noctor expressed that the prosecution is pursuing evidence that will demonstrate Mr Caffrey’s intent to either eliminate or severely harm someone at the time of the shooting. This supports their claim of Mr Caffrey’s guilt in a murder case. The trial is ongoing under the supervision of Justice Paul McDermott and a panel of jurors.