Murder accused told another Garda 'they have nothing' during break from formal interview
A murder accused said gardaí would never be able to charge him and dismissed their evidence saying "they have nothing", a trial at the Central Criminal Court heard today.
James 'Jimmy' Lammon (aged 44), of Cardington Way Athy, Co Kildare has pleaded not guilty to the murder of Jason Doogue (aged 22), in the Green Hills area of Athy on August 21, 2015.
Garda Daniel O'Shea told prosecuting counsel Kerida Naidoo SC that Mr Lammon was being interviewed by gardaí at Kildare Garda Station in August 2015 in relation to Mr Doogue's death.
Garda O'Shea said he was not involved in the interviews but during a break he brought Mr Lammon outside.
He agreed that it was not a formal interview but that he made a note of what was said.
He said Mr Lammon told him "they will never get a charge on me," and "they have nothing".
Mr Lammon told him that the garda evidence is simply that the shooter, who was fully covered and riding a bike, was the same height and build as him.
"And they think that will stick," he added.
He said Mr Lammon also told him that Jason Doogue and another man had assaulted someone earlier that day.
The final comment he noted was Mr Lammon saying: "the bullet was meant for Jamie Quinn."
The trial has previously heard from Jamie Quinn's sister Stacey Flynn, that Mr Lammon shouted at her that he was "coming for Jamie next" shortly after Mr Doogue was shot on August 21 last year.
Detective Garda Philip Ryan interviewed Mr Lammon at Kildare Garda Station following his arrest on August 21, 2015.
He agreed with Mr Naidoo that gardaí asked Mr Lammon to explain why four latex gloves found in a ditch near his home had firearms residue and his DNA on them.
He said Mr Lammon responded that he had a dog who had gotten old and vicious so he asked a man he knew to shoot the dog. He said he used the gloves to pick up the dead dog and then threw the gloves away.
He said Mr Lammon also denied being in the Green Hills area of Athy on the day Mr Doogue was shot.
Mr Justice Paul Butler told the jury that a witness is not available until Monday afternoon and asked them to go home for the weekend and not think about the trial or talk to anyone else about it.
He added that "the end is in sight" as the prosecution evidence is nearly finished.
