Son accused of neighbour's gun murder

Lonan Paul

A MAN on trial for murdering his neighbour on a July morning outside his home, rang his father saying, "I killed him in the garden", the jury in the case has heard.

Brendan O'Sullivan Snr was giving evidence in the trial of his son, Brendan O'Sullivan (25), of O'Gorman Street, Kilrush, Co Clare, who has denied murdering Leslie Kenny outside his own house in July 2009.

The 27-year-old died almost instantly in O'Sullivan's garden after sustaining four gunshot wounds.

The court heard that O'Sullivan lived with his wife and two children a few doors away from Mr Kenny and his girlfriend.

O'Sullivan's father told the court that he and his own wife, O'Sullivan's stepmother, were at his son's house within five minutes of receiving the phone call on the morning of July 29, 2009.

They found O'Sullivan sitting on his garden bench, and his stepmother asked him, "who did you shoot?"

Mr O'Sullivan Snr said his son replied "turn around" and they saw Mr Kenny lying at the bottom of the garden.

The witness said he asked his son why he did it, but he was given no explanation.

Mr O'Sullivan Snr said he then found his son's wife, Claire, crying at the back of the house. The gardai arrived moments later.

Some residents of O'Gorman Street also gave evidence and described hearing shouting, roaring and bad language on the street on the morning in question.

They recalled seeing O'Sullivan standing on his garden bench shouting at Mr Kenny "come down here and we'll talk about it".

A number of them saw Mr Kenny begin to leave his garden and walk down the street, but they then went inside as they didn't want to become involved.

One eye-witness described O'Sullivan as repeatedly roaring "come f***ing down here and we'll talk about it" and said he seemed agitated.

Joanne Carrig, whose sister Rebecca lived with Mr Kenny, told the jury that she was inside her house when she heard two shots, then a pause, and then two more shots.

When she went outside she saw her sister walking towards Brendan O'Sullivan's house, and saw him pacing around the garden on a mobile phone.

When her sister reached the garden, Ms Carrig said she heard her screaming "Leslie" over and over again.

Under cross-examination by counsel for the defence, John Phelan, Ms Carrig said she knew that Mr Kenny was involved in drugs and theft, and that he drank.

The trial continues.

hnews@herald.ie