The Special Criminal Court has viewed CCTV footage of the moment a gunman walked into a busy Dublin steakhouse last Christmas Eve and shot a man before being disarmed and beaten to death.
Three men are charged with murdering Tristan Sherry at Browne’s Steakhouse in Blanchardstown on December 24th, 2023. Three others, including a son of shooting victim Jason Hennessy Snr, are on trial accused of violent disorder arising out of the same incident.
A garda who arrived at the scene shortly after the shooting told the three-judge, non-jury court that he saw Sherry being carried out on a stretcher and immediately thought he recognised him but could not be sure due to the injuries to his face.
In her opening speech on Wednesday, prosecution counsel Fiona Murphy SC said that Jason Hennessy Snr and a group of people had gathered in the restaurant for Christmas Eve. Tristan Sherry and a second man entered with their faces covered and hoods up. Sherry then shot and fatally wounded Mr Hennessy Snr.
Ms Murphy said Sherry was disarmed and attacked by a group using “savage levels of violence”, involving kicking, stamping and striking with various objects including chairs.
Defence legal teams indicated that there are objections to the prosecution providing a narrative of what is seen in the CCTV footage in which it is alleged each of the accused can be identified. Anne Marie Lawlor SC, for murder accused David Amah (18), said the court does not need a garda to provide a narrative where it is possible for “anybody who has two eyes in their head to discern what is visible in the footage”.
Five of the six accused have accepted that they were correctly identified on the footage.
Hugh Hartnett SC, for Brandon Hennessy – the son of Jason Hennessy Snr – raised an objection to the alleged identification of his client.
In evidence on Thursday, Detective Garda Chris Durant told Ms Murphy he was on patrol in the Blanchardstown area last Christmas Eve when he received a call that there had been a shooting at Browne’s.
When he arrived he parked near the entrance where he saw a dark-coloured Hyundai Tucson take off at speed towards the roundabout for the N3 and M50. The detective walked inside the restaurant where he saw a male lying on the floor surrounded by a pool of blood and being attended to by members of the Dublin Fire Brigade.
Garda Declan Meehan of Finglas Garda station said when he arrived at the scene he looked at the male with multiple injuries being removed on a stretcher. He immediately thought it was Tristan Sherry but was not be sure due to the injuries to his face.
The trial continues before Mr Justice Kerida Naidoo, Judge Elma Sheahan and Judge James Faughnan.
Four men are charged with the murder of Tristan Sherry. The three currently on trial are Noah Musueni (18), Corduff Park, Blanchardstown; David Amah (18), Hazel Grove, Portrane Road, Donabate, Dublin; and Michael Andrecut (22), Sheephill Avenue, Blanchardstown.
Wayne Deegan (26), Linnetsfield Avenue, Phibblestown, Dublin 15 is also charged with murder but is awaiting a report by a neuropsychologist and will be tried at a later date.
Jonas Kabangu (18), Corduff Park, Blanchardstown and 18-year-old Diarmuid O’Brien of Corduff Place, Blanchardstown are charged with violent disorder at the same location on that date. Brandon Hennessy (21) of Sheephill Avenue, Dublin 15 – the son of Jason Hennessy Snr – is also charged with violent disorder. All the accused have pleaded not guilty. Jaures Kumbu (18) of Brookhaven Grove, Blanchardstown has previously pleaded guilty to removing the gun that was used by Sherry from the scene. The gun has not been retrieved.
