Latest: Verdict of ‘unlawful killing’ in death of Garda Tony Golden
A jury has returned a verdict of ‘unlawful killing’ in the death of Garda Tony Golden.
The dad of three was shot dead by Adrian Craven Mackin in October 2015 at a house in Omeath, Co Louth.
The inquest heard ten shots were fired and five of them hit the late garda.
One of them hit him in the back and would have killed him quickly.
The Coroner expressed his sympathy with Garda Golden’s family and said no words can express how difficult it must be for them.
Solicitor James McGuill spoke outside the inquest on behalf of Tony Golden’s widow and family.
"My client is delighted that the inquest is over," he said.
"She welcomes the verdict of the jury and she would like to repeat her request that the privacy of herself and her children is respected at this time, and that reflects the broader family as well.
It was a very difficult day and difficult for all of Tony's colleagues as well.
The sister of a man who killed a garda said he had fallen in with republicans after being released from a psychiatric hospital.
She made the revelations at the inquest of Garda Tony Golden who was shot dead by Adrian Crevan Mackin in October 2015.
Mackin also shot his girlfriend, seriously injuring her, before killing himself.
On October 11, 2015, Garda Tony Golden went to Cravien Mackin’s home in Omeath in Co Louth with Mackin’s girlfriend Siobhan Phillips.
They were there to collect her belongings after she had been badly beaten up by Mackin two days before hand.
Mackin pulled a gun on Tony Golden, shooting him five times. Siobhan Phillips was also badly injured in the shooting and lost her right eye.
Craven Macken then killed himself.
His sister Sinead Hynes told Garda Golden’s inquest Crevan Mackin had been a difficult child and in his adult life was depressed and had fallen in with Republicans after being let out of a psychiatric hospital.
He met Siobhan when she was around 16 and she became pregnant a few months afterwards.
Ms Hynes said around the time of the shootings a lot of stuff, including rumours of paedophilia, had taken its toll on Crevan Mackin.
While nine months before the shootings, she said Mackin had told her he had been imported gun parts on the dark web SG at the Coroner’s Court in Dublin.
Earlier: Inquest hears Garda Tony Golden was shot five times, including once to back
The inquest into the death of Garda Tony Golden has heard he was shot five times.
The garda was killed by Adrian Crevan Mackin on October 11, 2015, at a house in Omeath in Co Louth.
The Deputy State Pathologist, Dr Michael Curtis, has told the inquest Tony Golden died from multiple gunshot wounds.
He said Garda Golden was shot four times while he faced the gunman and one shot hit the garda in the back and would have been "rapidly or instantaneously fatal".
The inquest into the death of Garda Tony Golden is due to take place later this morning.
Garda Tony Golden was shot dead by Adrian Crevan Mackin on October 11, 2015, at a house in Omeath in Louth.
The father of three had gone there with Mackin’s estranged partner to collect her belongings after she had been attacked by Mackin.
Mackin shot Tony Golden dead, seriously injured Siobhan Phillips and then killed himself.
Last week an RTE investigates programme revealed nine months before the shootings, Mackin had admitted to gardaí that he had imported weapons, including the same model of gun which killed Garda Golden.
Despite his admissions, he was not charged with the crime and was instead charged with IRA membership, which he denied, and was released on bail.
The inquest is due to get underway at 10.30am in Dundalk.
