A Co Cork man has been jailed for life for the murder of a 42-year-old who he blamed for causing the suicide of one of his brothers and the attempted suicide of another brother.
Michael Collins, 29, of Upper Kilmona, Grenagh told gardaí the dead man had pressurised his brothers over drug debts they owed him.
Father-of-five Patrick ‘Packie’ Hogan, from Blarney, Co Cork, died when he was shot once in the back a few miles from his home as he was driving to the pub with another man on 10 February 2011.
Mr Hogan had stopped his van because a car was blocking the road in front of him.
Patrick O'Brien, who was a passenger in the van, told gardaí a man with a gun wearing a balaclava approached the driver's window and fired a shot, which hit Mr Hogan.
Mr O'Brien ran to get help and the gunman shot at him too.
When he returned a few minutes later, he found Mr Hogan dead.
Gardaí knew Collins was involved in a dispute with Mr Hogan, and when he was arrested he told them the dead man had pressurised his two brothers to pay for drugs he had supplied to them.
He said, as a result of this pressure, one of his brothers took his life and the second attempted suicide.
Collins said Mr Hogan had also threatened to kill him.
Collins admitted in garda interviews that he fired the fatal shot that killed Mr Hogan, although he denied the charges of murder, possession of a rifle and ammunition.
This afternoon, after deliberating for a little over three-and-a-half hours, the jury returned unanimous guilty verdicts on all three counts.
Collins was sentenced to life imprisonment by Mr Justice Paul Carney.
