Attempted murder trial fails to open at Central Criminal Court

THE trial of a Limerickman accused of the attempted murder of 22-year-old Daniel Phillips in St John’s Square on May 24 last year, began at the Central Criminal Court, with the arraignment and swearing in of a jury early last week. However, on Friday last, the jury set to hear the trial of 29-year-old Shane Mason, Sean Heuston Place, who is accused of shooting Daniel Phillips who was a passenger in a parked car at St John’s Square, was “regrettably discharged” by Justice Garrett Sheehan.

In the attack last year, Daniel Phillips suffered gunshot wounds to the head.
He spent several months in the Mid Western Regional and Cork Regional Hospital’s after the incident, where he battled to recover from the very serious nature of his injuries.
A jury was sworn in on June 29, and the trial was due to begin before Mr Justice Paul Carney. Mason pleaded not guilty, when arraigned, to the attempted murder of Daniel Phillips on May 24, 2010, not guilty to assault and not guilty to the unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition with the intent to endanger life on the same date.
However, Mr Justice Garrett Sheehan told the court that a trial judge was not available to preside over the case until late last week, but on Friday the judge returned to say that a trial judge was not available and was now forced to discharge the jury in the matter.
Legal arguments and evidence was expected to be given before the jury of five men and seven women who were expected to hear the case for over two weeks.
As the jury was discharged, Mason was returned to custody and a new trial date is expected for later this year.