An innocent bystander was shot in the buttocks while others dived for cover when a drug dealer opened fire at another man during a music festival in Co Clare over a debt and a row over “the same girl”, the Central Criminal Court heard on Monday.
A detective told a sentence hearing that “wild west stuff” had happened that night in the Co Clare town of Sixmilebridge, with people hiding behind walls and cars.
Tony McInerney, who the court heard was the leader of a large drug network in Co Clare, was initially jailed for 12 years after being caught running a “cocaine factory” in 2020 but the sentence was later reduced to ten years by the Court of Appeal.
McInerney (28), formerly of Glenina, Gort Road, Ennis, Co Clare pleaded guilty in July to the attempted murder of Daniel Harty Jnr at Pound St, Sixmilebridge on January 18th, 2020. McInerney has also pleaded guilty that on January 18th, 2020 at Pound Street, Sixmilebridge, Co Clare he intentionally or recklessly discharged a firearm creating a substantial risk of death or serious harm to another.
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He has further pleaded guilty that on a date unknown between January 1st, 2019 and January 18th, 2020 at Inis Eagla, Shannon, Co Clare without lawful excuse, made to Daniel Harty Snr a threat, intending the said Mr Harty Snr to believe it would be carried out, to kill or cause Daniel Harty Junior serious harm.
At today’s sentence hearing, Det Sgt Kevin O’Hagan detailed the background of the event, telling Lorcan Connolly, prosecuting, that Mr Harty Snr was at home in mid 2019 when there was a knock at his door.
McInerney was outside and introduced himself to Mr Harty Snr by shaking hands. The defendant inquired about the whereabouts of his son Daniel before making threats that he [Mr Harty Jnr] owed money for drug debts.
The defendant told Mr Harty Snr that his son was to “pay up” or he would be shot and that their home would be sprayed with bullets. The defendant left the house and was followed by Mr Harty Snr, who didn’t make a complaint to gardaí at that stage but did so subsequently.
Mr Connolly said Mr Harty Jnr was in a local pub when an annual music festival was taking place in Sixmilebridge in January 2020. Mr Harty Jnr was walking to another pub called McGregor’s in the town at about 12:18am night when a dark coloured BMW jeep drove up and down the street. The detective said the jeep had been circling before the incident.
Mr Harty Jnr separated from the group he was in and a verbal altercation ensued between him and the occupants of the jeep. “As the jeep turned around, Mr Harty Jnr realised something was afoot and ran. At that stage shots were fired from the jeep,” said the witness. Mr Harty Jnr ran to the back of McGregor’s as McInerney and another man ran after him firing shots.
McInerney and the other man then got into the back of the jeep, which had reversed to collect them. Mr Harty Jnr continued to hide behind the wall, having been shot three times.
The court heard that another bystander had been walking up the street to McGregor’s with some friends at the time of the shooting. One of the bullets lodged in his buttocks. The detective said that this victim was fortunate and had spent two days in hospital.
Gardaí identified McInerney, who made a statement and gave an explanation “around the motive”. The defendant accepted that money was owed and that there had been a conflict between “the two men in relation to a relationship with the same girl”. Det Sgt O’Hagan told the court that it was “wild west stuff”.
Det Sgt O’Hagan said the jeep was recovered some days later and nine bullet cases were found inside. He said the jeep was procured a month earlier, which “goes to show the planning”.
Mr Harty Jnr received three gunshots to his abdominal wall, left lower back region and left upper arm. He spent three weeks in hospital and had a colostomy bag for nine months. He still does not have the full use of his left arm and is suffering from PTSD, said the witness.
The court heard that McInerney has 13 previous convictions which include him being caught in possession of a large amount of drugs for which he received a 10-year sentence. Another previous conviction was for possession of explosives in suspicious circumstances, which the court heard was a pipe bomb.
The detective said that the father of two is serving a sentence for the drugs conviction and that €50,000 worth of cocaine had been found when gardaí entered a house.
Mr Collins read a letter written by McInerney to the court, where the defendant said he had been heavily addicted to cannabis and sold the drug at the age of 17 to fund his habit. McInerney said he had carried out a reckless act which left two people shot but that his “life of crime” ended the first day he came to prison.
He said he fully accepted responsibility for his actions and knows he has to suffer the consequences. “I’m dedicated to change, hopefully some day I can do some good, once again I’m truly sorry,” he said.
In his submissions, Mr Collins asked the court to give maximum credit for his client’s early guilty plea and that he had apologised “not alone to the victims but to society in general, as is proper”.
Mr Justice McDermott remanded McInerney in custody until next Monday, when he will be sentenced.