A man on trial for the murder of Limerick businessman Roy Collins has been escorted to Limerick to attend part of his mother's removal ahead of her funeral mass tomorrow.
Nathan Killeen (24) is on trial at the Special Criminal Court in Dublin accused of murdering Mr Collins.
Convicted criminal Ger Dundon (26), whose brother Wayne Dundon is a co-accused in the murder trial, was among those at Cross's funeral home on Lower Gerald Griffin Street in Limerick today when Mr Kileen arrived under armed Garda escort.
Dressed in a t-shirt and jeans Ger Dundon who was released from jail in January, was at the funeral home just as the prison van pulled up with Mr Killeen shortly before 2pm.
The navy unmarked prison van was driven into a yard at the side of the funeral home where a shutter was pulled down before Killeen was taken out.
Members of the armed Regional Support Unit travelling in a white Volvo estate blocked the road outside for the duration of the brief visit which lasted around 15 minutes.
An hour earlier at around at 12.50pm Mr Killeen’s 28-year-old sister Ciara Killeen, who is partner of John Dundon, arrived at the funeral home along with one her young sons.
Their mother Susan (55) whose maiden name was Casey, was originally from Hyde Road in Limerick but recently had an an address in Caherdavin, Limerick.
She was found in the canal at Locke Quay, Old Clare Street, Limerick, last Friday. Emergency services together with gardaí and rescue teams recovered the body at 1am after they responded to the alert of distress calls heard in the area.
Efforts were made to resuscitate her and she was taken to University Hospital Limerick where she was pronounced dead. Gardai not treating her death as suspicious. Her funeral mass will take place at midday tomorrow at the Holy Family Church in Southill.
Yesterday, at the Special Criminal Court, lawyers for Nathan Killeen, made an application that he be allowed attend his mother’s removal. Presiding judge of the three judge court, Ms Justice Iseult O’Malley, expressed the court’s condolences to Mr Killeen on the loss of his mother. The three judge non jury court was told that the Prison Service could facilitate the supervised escort.
Counsel for the defence expressed their gratitude on behalf of the accused man for their compassion and the trial was adjourned until next Monday.
Nathan Killeen, along with Wayne Dundon from Lenihan Avenue in Limerick, have both denied the murder of Roy Collins who was shot dead at the Coin Castle Amusement Arcade on April 9th, 2009. It is alleged that Killeen was the getaway driver for another man previously convicted and that Wayne Dundon was the organiser and “director” of the hit.