A 42 year old involved in a 21 hour gun siege in Gort said he hadn’t a hope in hell of shooting it out with Gardaí when he emerged from his house armed with a double barrel shotgun.
Anthony Burke of 67 Crowe Street in Gort gave evidence on day seven of his trial before the Circuit Criminal Court in Galway.
A 42 year old involved in a 21 hour gun siege in Gort said he hadn’t a hope in hell of shooting it out with Gardaí when he emerged from his house armed with a double barrel shotgun.
Anthony Burke of 67 Crowe Street in Gort gave evidence on day seven of his trial before the Circuit Criminal Court in Galway.
Taking to the witness box Anthony Burke told the court he had no intention of endangering life, even though the safety catch was turned to the off position on his shotgun seconds before he pointed the weapon in the direction of armed Gardaí standing nearby during the siege in October 2006.
When asked by his defending council if he realised that he had created a load of mayhem the 42 year old apologised for what he did but said he had not been in a “right frame of mind.”
The father of three said he remembered shooting at a darts board in the kitchen when his partner and children fled…but couldn’t remember firing shots around the hallway stairs and landing or peppering two Garda cars parked outside.
Under cross examination Mr Burke also said he had very little recollection of what he did after he emerged from the house and fired shots but did get a fright when he saw armed Gardaí not far from him and accepted he must have reloaded the gun but contended he had no intention of endangering life
