Kierans trial dont come home for my funeral murder accused to son
The son of a Cavan woman shot by her husband told a murder trial jury that his father said 'I don't want you to come home for my funeral' days before his mother was found dead in the family home.
Oliver Kierans (57) of Drumbannon Bailieborough in Cavan has pleaded not guilty to murdering Patricia Kierans (54) on September 5, 2013 at the same address.
He also pleaded not guilty to unlawful possession of a 12 gauge double barrel shotgun and not guilty to possession of the same shotgun with intent to endanger life.
Taking the stand today (Friday), Oliver Kierans Junior told Anthony Sammon SC, defending, that he had contacted his father from Australia on September 2, 2013.
'Every few weeks I would ring up to see how they were. It was Monday (Sep 2) Irish time and Tuesday morning in Sydney.
'I rang dad and he sounded upset - it seemed as if he was crying. He was asking me 'who's this?' - he was drunk. He was telling me I was his first-born and he loved me.
'He said Shane [Oliver Jr's brother] was going to Australia and he said he can't get a hold of mammy. He said 'I dont want you to come home for my funeral' - I said 'dont be so stupid''.
In his closing speech, Michael O'Higgins SC prosecuting said that the issue was whether the possibility of the shooting being an accident can be excluded.
'One thing about intoxication and memory loss - lack of memory does not equate with lack of awareness and lack of responsibility.
'We've all done something by accident with a bad result. The natural human instinct where someone has been injured is to get help - it's significant that Oliver Kierans did not get help.
'That is not behaviour consistent with someone who has accidentally killed someone. Neither is going to a public house with a concealed weapon and saying to Richie (barman) 'there'll be big news around the town tomorrow'.
Closing speeches in the trial continue this afternoon before Ms Justice Aileen Donnelly and a jury of five women and seven men.