Andrew Carey
STEVE Collins, the father of Roy Collins who was murdered by a notorious criminal gang has said that the inquest into his death brings to an end the ten year nightmare that he and his family have had to endure.
Roy Collins was shot dead at Coin Castle Amusement Arcade on April 2, 2009 by James Dillion while Nathan Killeen acted as the getaway driver on the orders of Wayne Dundon. All three are serving life sentences in maximum security prisons after being found guilty in the Special Criminal Court.
At an inquest heard this Wednesday at Limerick Coroner’s Court, gardai gave evidence of arriving at the scene of the shooting on the morning of April 9 as Mr Collins was receiving emergency medical treatment for the gunshot wound.
Roy’s father, Steve Collins, recalled being in his office at the Steering Wheel bar next door to his son’s arcade when a man came in saying someone was bleeding next door.
Steve ran into the arcade and saw his son crouched on his knees – he could see a bullet on the ground and Roy told him “I’m after being shot dad.”
He said his son told him he loved him and his mother.
He later died in hospital from his injuries.
State Pathologist Dr Marie Cassidy – who conducted a post mortem – told the inquest Roy died from a single gunshot wound that entered to the right of his chest and exited at the left side of his back.
Limerick City Coroner Dr Tony Casey told the jury the only verdict open to them was one of ‘murder.’
He recorded the cause of death as being the result of a gunshot wound to the trunk.
Speaking after this Wednesday’s inquest, Steve, who has been living outside the jurisdiction with his family after he gave evidence that led to the prosecution of his son’s killers, said he now feels like Limerick is a safer place and he hopes to return some day:
“I just want to get on with my life and hope that it can go back to the way it was before”.
“What they did to me was they stepped over a line, you don’t do that to innocent people. Now that they are locked up and locked away I feel a bit safer.”
