Jury watch CCTV of woman checking alleged gunman into hotel on night of murder

Alison O'Riordan

A trial jury has watched CCTV footage of what the prosecution say is a woman checking an alleged gunman into a hotel on the night of a murder in an effort to help him evade prosecution.

The jury also heard on Tuesday that the alleged killer also had tattoos on his right hand including "a series of €50 bank notes and the Ha'penny Bridge.

Earlier that day Jordan Davis was shot dead "in a cold-blooded and calculated execution" while pushing his four-month-old son in a pram through a lane in Darndale.

A lone man on a distinctive orange bike had fired at him eight times.

The prosecution case is that the accused woman Rachel Redmond (34) drove the shooter - her then partner - away from the scene and later checked him into the Clayton Hotel near Dublin Airport.

It is the State's case that in the aftermath of Mr Davis' murder, Ms Redmond was in a vehicle driving around the area with witness Stacey Hayes and they picked up the alleged gunman Wayne Cooney.

Detective Sergeant Eoin Colbert from Coolock Garda Station on Tuesday took Seoirse Ó Dúnlaing SC, prosecuting, through a compilation of CCTV footage, which showed a Ford Focus car arriving at a barrier outside the Clayton Hotel near Dublin Airport at 00.03 in the early hours of May 23rd.

The detective agreed with Mr Ó Dúnlaing that he [witness] was present at a later stage in the investigation when Wayne Cooney was photographed during his detention at Coolock Garda Station on June 19th and 22nd 2019.

The witness agreed that Mr Cooney had a "series of tattoos" on his right arm and a tattoo of a star on the right side of his neck.

Photos of Mr Cooney's tattoos on his right hand were shown to the jury which included "a series of €50 banknotes and the 'Ha'penny Bridge.

On his left hand were tattoos of "a crown" with the initials 'RR' underneath it, said the detective. The jury also saw the detail of other tattoos on his legs.

In his opening address, Mr Ó Dúnlaing told the jury that the prosecution had to establish that Ms Redmond, who was in a relationship with Mr Cooney at the time, knew or believed he had committed the murder.

Mr Ó Dúnlaing also told the jury it is the State's case that Ms Redmond went to the Clayton Hotel near Dublin Airport on the night of May 22, where she booked a room for the night using her name and credit card.

Counsel said the accused went back to the car once she had checked in and that the vehicle was driven to a nearby petrol station. At this point, he said it is the prosecution's case that Mr Cooney got out of the car and stayed the night at the Clayton Hotel.

Returning to the CCTV footage from May 23rd at 11.35am, a male is seen getting into the lift on the second floor of the hotel.

The detective commented that tattoos could be seen on both his legs and ankles. The male leaves the hotel at 11.39am and gets a taxi to the Athletic Union League (AUL) Sports Centre in Clonshaugh two minutes later.

The detective said the male walks towards the complex at 11.46am and tattoos can be seen on both his legs. The male leaves the premises two minutes later and can be seen getting into the rear passenger seat of the same Ford Focus vehicle from the previous night at 11.49am, said the witness.

Earlier, Garda Cormac Flynn told the prosecutor that a male figure with an athletic build can be seen in CCTV footage throwing his orange bike on a mound, taking off his gloves and walking down Belcamp Lane in the direction of Darndale at 4.04pm on May 22nd.

The witness said "markings" on his right hand resemble tattoos. He said the male had another marking on his left hand and neck area.

The prosecutor said at the same time that this was happening a vehicle of interest - a silver Volkswagen Golf - was turning onto Belcamp Green in Dublin 17.

The jury has already seen CCTV footage from 4.01 pm on May 22nd of Mr Davis, who is pushing a buggy, and a named man walking down a laneway between a church and a national school when "a figure" riding a bike appears behind them and shoots the father-of-one.

Assistant State Pathologist Dr Margot Bolster also gave evidence today, telling Mr Ó Dúnlaing that Mr Davis died from multiple gunshot wounds. She said the deceased had three gunshot wounds to the body and that the three bullets had exited his body. One bullet entered the left side of the neck, went through the brain and exited through the forehead.

A second bullet, she said, entered the left side of the back and exited through the front of the right chest.

The third gunshot wound went through the back of the left thigh and exited through the lower abdomen. Dr Bolster said the two fatal injuries - the one to the head and upper abdomen - would both have led to rapid death.

Ms Redmond from Coolock but with an address at Clifdenville Road, Cliftonville Avenue, North Belfast, Antrim is charged on two counts that on or about May 22nd 2019, in the county of the City of Dublin, did knowingly or believing that another person, namely Wayne Cooney, committed an arrestable offence, to wit murder, without reasonable excuse did an act with intent to impede his apprehension or prosecution.

Ms Redmond has pleaded not guilty to the two counts.

The jurors have been told that while Mr Davis was himself heavily involved in crime, this was not a concern to bring with them into the jury room as they consider the case.

The trial continues tomorrow before Mr Justice Paul Burns and a jury of three men and nine women.