TrialofCo Armagh man for murder of garda begins

A CO Armagh man will go on trial today for the murder of Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe seven years ago.

Aaron Brady (28) of New Road, Crossmaglen, is charged with the murder of the detective at Lordship Credit Union in Bellurgan, Co Louth on January 25, 2013. The accused is also charged with the robbery of €7,000 in cash and cheques at the same location on the same date.

Mr Brady stood up and pleaded not guilty to both charges when they were put to him by the registrar at the Central Criminal Court yesterday morning.

The court heard the first count relates to the capital murder of a police officer, Det Gda Donohoe, in the course of their duty contrary to the Criminal Justice Act 1976.

Justice Michael White notified the pool of prospective jurors that the trial will take up to 16 weeks and may run to May 28.

The trial will break for two weeks over Easter and will not sit on St Patrick’s Day. A panel of six men and nine women — three more jurors than usual — were sworn in after midday, with the trial due to begin this morning.

The jury members were warned by Mr Justice White not to go on social media or the internet to carry out research in relation to the case. The jury must, he said, concentrate solely on the evidence it hears in court.

The extra jurors were there in case someone is forced to drop out through illness or any other reason. If more than 12 jurors remain at the end of the trial, there will be an open ballot to decide the final make-up of the jury, Justice White said.