A MAN charged yesterday with the murder of Leslie Kenny (27) told gardaí that he did not intend to do it and was trying to protect his family.
At a special sitting of Ennis District Court yesterday, Brendan O’Sullivan (24), O’Gorman Street, Kilrush, Co Clare, appeared in court charged with the murder of Mr Kenny, Kilrush, at O’Gorman Street last Wednesday morning, July 29th.
Mr Kenny died after sustaining shotgun wounds.
In giving evidence of arrest, charge and caution, Garda Donal Corkery told the court that when he was cautioned after being charged at 1.06pm at Kilrush Garda station yesterday, Mr O’Sullivan replied: “I didn’t intend to do this, I was trying to protect my family.”
Mr O’Sullivan’s solicitor Eugene O’Kelly told Judge Joseph Mangan: “The charge is one of murder and it will be fully defended.”
Mr O’Sullivan was accompanied in court by a group including his girlfriend and family members and friends.
After Mr O’Kelly handed in a statement of means to the court, Judge Mangan granted Mr O’Sullivan legal aid.
Garda Corkery confirmed to Mr O’Kelly that Mr O’Sullivan did not object to his period of detention being extended to facilitate the investigation while in custody.
Mr O’Kelly said it was when Mr O’Sullivan went voluntarily to Kilrush Garda station on Wednesday that he was arrested by Garda Corkery.
Supt Michael Comyns of Kilrush Garda station applied to the court that Mr O’Sullivan be remanded in custody to reappear before a vacation sitting of Ennis District Court on Monday at noon.
Mr O’Kelly said that he would not be objecting to the application to remand Mr O’Sullivan in custody.
Mr O’Kelly said: “The District Court is not an appropriate court to apply for bail in this case and I will subsequently be making an application for bail in the High Court.”
