A man (32) has been remanded in custody, charged with the murder of Mark Cullen, who died following a shooting in Dún Laoghaire, Co Dublin, during the summer.
Cullen was fatally injured in the gun attack at Patrician Park on Kill Avenue on Sunday, July 5th. The father of three, from Shanganagh Cliffs, Shankill, in south Co Dublin, was shot in the leg and died at the scene.
Gardaí arrested Edward Andrews of Radharc na Farraige, Wicklow town, earlier this week for questioning, and charged him with the murder of Cullen.
He was held overnight pending his appearance before Judge John Hughes at Dublin District Court on Saturday morning.
Before the case began, solicitor Edward Bradbury told the judge he normally represented Andrews but that he could not act for him in these proceedings because of the ongoing legal industrial dispute.
Solicitors have withdrawn their services in response to legal aid payment reforms introduced in July, causing widespread disruption to the criminal justice system.
The judge said: “It is a very serious charge before the court, murder.”
Bradbury replied: “I am here out of respect to my client and respect to his rights, and the court.
“This places every active participant in the court in an invidious position; it is not acceptable from the profession’s perspective.”
Det Sgt Grace O’Boyle of Dún Laoghaire station gave evidence of arrest, charge and caution. She told the court Andrews replied “no comment” when the charge was put to him at 9.40pm on Friday.
The District Court does not have jurisdiction to consider bail in a murder charge, which requires an application to the High Court, and Andrews was automatically remanded in custody. He will appear at Cloverhill District Court on Friday.
The court granted Andrews a legal aid certificate, but no solicitor had yet been assigned. The judge told him that very few solicitors in Dublin were operating under the new scheme.
Hughes said the accused was eligible because he was unemployed and receiving social welfare.