Teen free but father and two sons still face murder claim

A JUDGE has told a jury to acquit the youngest of three brothers on trial with their father for murder.

Ryan Bradley, 18, is now free, after a six-week trial for the alleged murder of a gunman who fired two shots at his family home. Paul Bradley, 54, and his sons Jason, 20, and Dean, 24, remain on trial after pleading not guilty to the murder of Neil Reilly, 36, on January 18 last year.

Directing the jury yesterday, Judge Paul Coffey said Jason Bradley accepts he inflicted the seven fatal chop wounds to Reilly’s head, arms and torso. He said the jury may therefore find he unlawfully killed Reilly, but if he was provoked to the point where he lost all self-control, they may find him not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter.

He said Jason owed Reilly more than €9,000 in a drug debt and that Reilly fired two shots at the Bradley home in Liscarne Gardens, Dublin 22, both of which could have been lethal. The time from this to the assault was about ten minutes, so they must consider provocation in the light of the shooting, a high-speed chase and the short length of time in which these happened, the judge said.

Dean Bradley admitted driving a BMW which went over the deceased. A pathologist said Reilly had a crushed pelvis, and prosecutors said Dean drove over him more than once. However, the defence said it was an accident and that he drove over Reilly, of Esker Glebe in Lucan, once as he has poor eyesight.

Judge Coffey said the jury must first consider if Dean’s driving caused the injuries and if these would be likely to cause death or serious injury.

Paul Bradley admitted following Reilly’s Mazda in a jeep with Jason as his passenger. The Mazda crashed and Paul got out of his jeep and kicked Reilly, who was rowing with Jason. The judge said the prosecution case against Paul is that he didn’t do anything to directly cause Reilly’s death, but was involved in a joint enterprise with Jason. The jury will begin their deliberations today.