Ennis Circuit Court has heard that an East Clare farmer shot his friend with a double-barrelled shot gun at close range and called him a “tout for the Gardaí.”
53 year old Liam Flynn has pleaded guilty to assault causing harm of Noel Enright, at his farmhouse in Afflick, Tulla on January 28th, 2015.
Ennis Circuit Court heard how Mr Flynn shot his “great pal” in the leg, after drinking two pints of whiskey at his farmhouse on January 28th, 2015.
The men had been friends for 20 years and Mr Enright stayed at Mr Flynn’s home once a week where they would drink “volumes” of alcohol and watch their favourite programme, Sons of Anarchy.
Counsel for Mr Flynn, Lorcan Connolly, said the scene that night could have been taken out of the show.
Garda witnesses arrived around 2.15am and found Mr Enright on the couch with blood and flesh splattered on the wall.
He was rushed to hospital in Limerick where he had around 100 pellets removed from a gunshot wound.
The two men were regular church goers and while he was recovering, Mr Flynn brought Mr Enright a holy statue, prayer book and holy water.
In the case, the two men offered conflicting accounts of what occurred on the night.
Mr Enright alleged Mr Flynn shot him after accusing him of being a ‘tout for Gardai’, while the defendant told Gardaí at the scene the gun had just ‘gone off’.
Garda McClearn said that in 22 years on the force, he’d never come across such a case. He said the men’s recollection of the night were unreliable because of the amount of drink consumed.
The court heard Mr Flynn is unable to work due to disability and sold property to offer Mr Enright 20,000 euro in compensation.
Mr Enright, of Corebeg, Doora, Clarecastle, was not present in court but said in his victim impact statement that he “lived in fear” of another attack.
Mr Flynn has pleaded guilty to assault causing harm of Mr Enright at Afflick, Tulla.
Judge Keys adjourned the case to Thursday to fix a date for sentence and remanded Mr Flynn on bail.
