Three men plead not guilty to Dublin restaurant murder on Christmas Eve

Eoin Reynolds

Three young men accused of the "savage" murder of gunman Tristan Sherry at a busy Dublin steakhouse last Christmas Eve entered not guilty pleas at the Special Criminal Court on Wednesday morning.

Noah Musueni (18), Michael Andrecut (22), and David Amah (18) each formally entered not guilty pleas to the murder of Tristan Sherry.

The court has heard that a hooded Sherry entered Browne's Steakhouse with his face covered and shot and killed Jason Hennessy Snr, before moments later being dragged to the ground.

Prosecution counsel Fiona Murphy SC opened the trial, saying that Sherry was subjected to "savage levels of violence".

She said the prosecution intends to prove that each of the three murder accused engaged in unlawful violence with the intention to kill or cause serious injury and Tristan Sherry died as a result.

Following the opening speech, lawyers for each of the three admitted that their clients were present at Browne's Steakhouse in Blanchardstown when Sherry died.

They also accepted that Sherry died as a result of injuries sustained during violence at the steakhouse and that the accused men were correctly identified on CCTV footage of the fatal incident that is relied on by the prosecution.

There were further admissions relating to the lawfulness of the arrests of the three, the seizure of exhibits, DNA samples and fingerprints, and that the crime scene was properly preserved.

Jonas Kabangu, Brandon Hennessy and Diarmuid O'Brien are charged with violent disorder arising from the same incident. Their lawyers also accepted that Sherry's death was as a result of injuries sustained during the violence.

Wayne Deegan (26), Linnetsfield Avenue, Phibblestown, Dublin 15, is also charged with murder but is awaiting a report by a neuro-psychologist and will be tried at a later date.

Jonas Kabangu (18), Corduff Park, Blanchardstown, is charged with violent disorder at the same location on that date, as is 18-year-old Diarmuid O'Brien from Corduff Place in Blanchardstown.

Brandon Hennessy (21) of Sheephill Avenue, Dublin 15 is also charged with violent disorder.

All the accused pleaded not guilty on Wednesday.

18-year-old Jaures Kumbu of Brookhaven Grove, Blanchardstown has previously pleaded guilty to removing from the scene the sub-machine gun that was used by Sherry to kill Hennessy. The gun has not been retrieved.