Records taken from the mobile phone of a man suspected of carrying out a shooting earlier this year have shown that there were at least two of the calls made near to the time and in close proximity to the incident.
The Garda evidence, which was revealed at Galway Circuit Court last Friday, comes despite Anthony McDonagh professing that he had unwittingly left his phone in the hands of a child at another man’s house. He also denied ever organising a hit against Martin Ward.
Anthony McDonagh (43 ) of 37 Tulach Ard, Circular Road, denies two charges of being in possession of a shotgun and a shotgun cartridge on April 18, 2008, with the intent to endanger the life of 21-year-old Martin Ward at Whitestrand Road. Ward of Corrach Buí, Rahoon, and his friend Joe McDonagh had been in the van of delivery man, Michael Ward. At 10pm a man approached the van and shot Martin Ward at close range causing serious damage to his hand.
Last Friday the jury heard extracts from statements in which Anthony McDonagh denied having anything to do with the incident and that he had been in the home of PJ Doherty, at Cartur Mór, Knocknacarra, between 8pm and 9.20pm and had accidentally left his phone behind before going straight home.
However, Garda Gerry Staunton gave evidence that there had been numerous calls made from his phone to his daughter, wife, and at least two other numbers between 9pm and 11.50pm on April 18. One call had been made at 9.59pm in the vicinity of the Rio Hotel which he said was in close proximity to the scene of the shooting. Another “cell site” was at Massimo’s pub which is also close to Whitestrand Road.
Earlier in the trial PJ Doherty admitted giving two false statements to gardaí and that the accused had arrived at his home at 10.10pm and asked him to mind a backpack containing a sawn-off shotgun, to burn the car used in the shooting, and to act as an alibi.
In his statements the accused, however, denied ever speaking to Mr Doherty after 10pm adding that he only got his phone back at 10.30pm, and had not made any calls. He also claimed that he didn’t have a bag, that he had no gun and that he was “being framed”. He also denied ever organising “a hit” and said that he never used a firearm nor had one in his possession.
The trial continues this week.
