Murder accused Silver said garda went for gun

STEPHEN Silver, the motorbike mechanic charged with the capital murder of Garda Colm Horkan, told detectives that Gda Horkan went for his gun after ‘losing whatever struggle’ ensued between the two men.

The jury in the trial of Mr Silver, 46, also heard yesterday that the accused told gardaí he was ‘absolutely sure’ he would have been killed in the struggle that ended in Gda Horkan being shot 11 times with his own gun. Mr Silver, of Aughavard, Foxford, Co. Mayo, denies the capital murder of Gda Horkan in Castlerea, Co. Roscommon, on June 17, 2020. He admits manslaughter.

Yesterday, the jury at the Central Criminal Court were shown a video recording of Mr Silver’s first interview in Castlerea Garda Station the day after his arrest. In the interview, Mr Silver said that he was heading up the street with his friend, James Coyne, when ‘a massive tank of a blue car pulled up’. Mr Silver said a man said he was ‘a guard’, adding: ‘He turned to get out and I saw Tommy Hilfiger on his jacket and I thought, “He’s not a guard.”

‘He was straight up to me. I said, “Get away from me”, and I pushed him. James said, “Jesus, no, Stephen.”

‘He [Gda Horkan] said, “James”, and attacked me, and a struggle ensued.

‘I felt a gun, and I grabbed his hand and there was a holster and a handgun. He was struggling with it. The next thing, he had it out. I went, “F***, this is real.” There were bullets flying everywhere. He shot himself. I had no control of it; he had control of it, it was like a loose cannon.’

Mr Silver continued: ‘I got the gun off him. I think I shot him like that [indicates chest area]... I’m holding a gun and there are guards everywhere, and I threw the gun away. I was absolutely sure I was going to be killed.’ The trial continues before Judge Tara Burns and the jury of seven men and five women.