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Separate suspect's car caught on CCTV passing scene hours before garda shot, court told


Aaron Brady (pictured) denies the murder of Adrian Donohoe

Aaron Brady (pictured) denies the murder of Adrian Donohoe

Aaron Brady (pictured) denies the murder of Adrian Donohoe

A car belonging to a suspect in the murder of Adrian Donohoe was captured on camera driving by the scene hours before the fatal shooting, a court has heard.

The jury in the trial of Aaron Brady (29), who denies murder, has continued hearing mobile phone and CCTV evidence.

Yesterday afternoon, the court was shown footage from January 25, 2013, outside the Lordship Credit Union, where Detective Garda Donohoe was shot dead during a robbery shortly before 9.30pm that night.


Detective Garda Gareth Kenna told the court that at 1.46pm a dark-toned saloon vehicle was observed driving past the credit union from the Carlingford direction.

He agreed with prosecuting counsel Lorcan Staines that the passenger window of the car was open and that a person's face appeared to be visible.

A number of seconds later a different camera at Lordship Credit Union captured the vehicle's window going up.

Mr Staines told the court it was accepted that the car was a BMW 5 series belonging to a man who, the prosecution alleges, was also involved in the credit union robbery later that day. This individual cannot be named for legal reasons.

The court had earlier been shown footage which captured a dark-toned saloon car passing by the credit union before pulling into the nearby Bellurgan Service Station.

Det Gda Kenna said that the suspect can then be seen going into the shop and buying two bottles of water before getting back into the car, which drove off in the direction of Lordship Credit Union.

The jury of six men and seven women will continue hearing evidence in the case on Monday.

Aaron Brady, of New Road in Crossmaglen, Co Armagh, is charged with the capital murder of Mr Donohoe, who was then a member of An Garda Siochana acting in the course of his duty, at Lordship Credit Union in Bellurgan, Co Louth, on January 25, 2013.


He is also charged with the robbery of approximately €7,000 in cash and assorted cheques from Pat Bellew at the same location on the same date.

Mr Brady has pleaded not guilty to both charges.

Earlier, the court heard evidence of phone traffic between the accused and other mobile numbers.

This included several texts between a mobile referred to as "Aaron x", attributed to the accused, and his then girlfriend Jessica King.

The jury also heard evidence of calls between a "Brades 2" phone, belonging to the accused, and a number of other people on the morning of the January 25.