A murder trial has heard a 48-year-old Co Offaly man was shot multiple times because he found drugs worth €30,000 in a laneway near his home.
Two men have gone on trial charged with the murder of Christy Daly in Clara, Co Offaly in December 2013.
25-year-old Ross Allen, with an address in Ballyogan, Carrickmines in Dublin and previously from Clara, Co Offaly, and 22-year-old Matthew Gralton, from Mount Prospect, Co Roscommon, have denied the murder of the 48-year-old father of nine on a date unknown between 29 December 2013 and 7 January 2014.
Prosecuting Counsel Patrick Marrinan told the jury at the Central Criminal Court it was the prosecution's case that Daly was killed by two members of a gang who were called in from Dublin.
While neither of the accused was the actual gunman, the prosecution claims they had a role to play in the killing.
The jury was told that Daly was last seen alive on the evening of 29 December 2013 by his son.
The 48-year-old had been released from prison earlier that month and was living in Bog Lane in Clara, Co Offaly. He was involved in car sales.
The jury will hear evidence that two men, including Ross Allen, were seen by the deceased and his friend acting suspiciously near his home at Bog Lane in Clara, Co Offaly in the early hours of 29 December 2013.
The court heard a garda Sergeant had been to the Bog Lane on 3 January and saw Daly's caravan and two cars had been burnt out. A Volvo car had been found burnt out two days previously at a local quarry.
Gardaí returned to Bog Lane three days later on 6 January to have a closer look at the cars and the body of Daly was discovered a few feet away in a drain.
A post-mortem examination showed he had been shot multiple times and had been beaten.
A number of spent bullets from a semi-automatic weapon were found at the scene which were similar to two bullets found in the burned out Volvo found near the quarry.
Mr Marrinan said this showed there was a link between the car and the murder scene.
Mr Marrinan also said an intensive investigation began during which Mr Allen and Mr Gralton were arrested and allegedly made admissions to gardaí about their involvement.
These alleged admissions would be the cornerstone of the prosecution case, he said.
Mr Marrinan said apparently Daly had found drugs worth €30,000 in the laneway near his home and Mr Allen had placed them there then had gone up on 29 December and found they were missing.
He had "put two and two together" and assumed Daly had taken them and had reported back to a "Mr X" who owned the drugs. Arising out of that two members of a gang - effectively assassins - were brought from Dublin and they were involved in killing Daly.
Mr Marrinan said the prosecution says Mr Allen and Mr Gralton were not the gunmen but allegedly had a role to play.
Both men deny the charges. The case continues tomorrow.
