A 24-year-old Dublin man has told how he went into shock after being shot twice at the front door of his home.

James Egan was giving evidence at the Central Criminal Court in the trial of Michael Brennan, who is charged with attempting to murder him on Saturday, April 29, 2006, at Mr Egan's council flat in Cromcastle Court, Kilmore Road, Coolock.

Mr Brennan (20) of Cromcastle Drive, Kilmore, has denied the charge. He also denies possessing a sawn-off shotgun and live shotgun cartridges with intent to endanger life.

In the first trial to take place in the new Criminal Courts of Justice, Mr Egan said he was smoking heroin in his bedroom when there was a knock on the front door at about 11.20pm.

He told Paddy McCarthy, prosecuting, that after asking twice who was there, he recognised the voice of the now deceased Wesley (Weso) Byrne. He had been expecting Mr Byrne, who was from nearby Belcamp Crescent, Darndale, where Mr Egan previously lived with his family.

Shadow

"I opened the door and got shot in the stomach and the leg," he said, adding that there was bad lighting and he saw only a small shadow that he thought was Mr Byrne.

"I didn't see the gun. All I seen was a shadow and a big, blue flash. I fell down against the skirting board."

Mr Egan said he then went blank and did not feel any pain due to shock. A surgeon at Beaumont Hospital later removed two bullets and a pellet from him.

He told the prosecution that as far as he knew, he was shot because he owed Michael Brennan €200 for drugs.

"It's the only reason I can think of anyway," he said.

He said he had left his flat earlier to go out and buy drugs. During his search, he met Mr Byrne and the accused on bicycles in Belcamp Crescent.

Mr Byrne asked if he could use his flat that night to bag drugs, and Mr Egan agreed because he would receive enough heroin for two days in return. He continued on his search however, bought heroin elsewhere, went home and smoked it.

His former partner, Sarah Foran, who also lived there with her four-year-old daughter, said she put her daughter to bed that evening before going into the bedroom with Mr Egan and smoking heroin.

She said she heard the person who knocked say: "Jim Bob, it's Weso" when asked who was there for a second time. She thought the gunshots were two bangers until Mr Egan told her he had been shot. She did not know Mr Egan owed money. The trial continues.

hnews@herald.ie

- Natasha Reid