Stephen Silver

2023 - 3 - 15

Post cover — Image courtesy of "The Irish Times"

Stephen Silver: The full story of his trial for the murder of Garda Colm ... (The Irish Times)

Jury told Silver, who had a history of psychiatric illness, shot Garda Horkan 11 times with his own gun.

Silver was in “quite a dishevelled state”, he said, “and didn’t really want to talk to me and made it clear he didn’t want to be interviewed by me on the basis that he had never met me before and didn’t know who I was.” Silver also said he wanted his family to be present before he would be willing to talk. James Dwyer, for the prosecution, said Silver was “filled with a burning anger” and was itching for a row with gardaí. This time Dominic McGinn SC told the jury that in the aftermath of the shooting Silver showed “no appreciation of the situation he was in”. He said he had been “set up” and described Gda Horkan as a “dirtbag” and demanded to know why a garda wearing a Tommy Hilfiger jacket and driving a family car had attacked him on the streets of Castlerea. Silver told the trial he saw the passenger window was half down and, “a man was staring at me so I put my head down to the window and he asked me who I was.” He said he gave the man his name and asked who he was and heard him say he was a garda, just as Gda Horkan was getting out of the car. She noted that during his garda interviews following the shooting he spoke about a “conspiracy to set him up” and had “grandiose delusions” about his own importance, power, knowledge and identity. She told the trial: “Looking back up and I could see the man on the ground and then another male walked from Gannon’s shop with pace over to this man on the ground and he had a gun in his hand and he shot the man on the ground. He said he began to believe she “wasn’t who she said she was” and that she was “up to no good”. He said he didn’t believe he was a garda and added: “He came around the front of the car, round the bonnet, and he came at me very quickly, he was within a few inches and squared up to me as if to start a fight.” Silver said he told Gda Horkan to keep two metres away, as per the covid prevention guidelines, and Silver put his right hand up “to keep him at arm’s length”. He was “very angry”, refused to answer questions, and said he had proof on his mobile phone which he was going to take to the media. At his second trial, which began in February, he again took the stand and told the jury he had his first mental health episode in early adulthood when he thought he was “the second coming of Jesus”. But when Silver took the unusual step of taking the stand in his defence, he said he was ashamed of how he acted in those interviews and apologised to the Horkan family.

Jury finds Stephen Silver guilty of capital murder of Garda Colm ... (Irish Examiner)

Members of Det. Gda Horkan's family said they were “relieved” with the verdict.

He said that Gda Horkan was wearing a Tommy Hilfiger jacket and “didn’t come across” as a garda. The trial heard that Gda Horkan was a well-regarded member of the force with 25 years’ service and no disciplinary issues on his record. “I kept shooting until the gun finished and there was no ammunition left,” Silver said. Mayo, had pleaded not guilty to the murder of Garda Horkan knowing or being reckless as to whether he was a member of An Garda Siochana acting in accordance with his duty at Castlerea, Co. She said it is not often there is a case of this nature and she was extremely thankful to them. Silver was returned to custody ahead of the sentencing hearing which will begin on Wednesday, April 19.

Stephen Silver found guilty of capital murder of Garda Colm Horkan (BreakingNews.ie)

After two trials at the Central Criminal Court, a jury has found Stephen Silver, who shot Garda Colm Horkan 11 times with his own gun, guilty of capital ...

She pointed out that the defence had questioned what Gda Hokan was doing in his interaction with Silver when he got out of an unmarked patrol car and whether he was acting lawfully. He said that Gda Horkan was wearing a Tommy Hilfiger jacket and “didn’t come across” as a garda. Silver (46), a motorbike mechanic from Aughaward, Foxford, Co Mayo, had pleaded not guilty to the murder of Det Garda Horkan knowing or being reckless as to whether he was a member of An Garda Siochana acting in accordance with his duty. The trial heard that Garda Horkan was a well-regarded member of the force with 25 years’ service and no disciplinary issues on his record. As the verdict was read out, there were emotional reactions from family members of both Gda Horkan’s and Silver’s who were present in court. That jury had been given the option of returning a majority verdict.

Silver found guilty of capital murder of Garda Horkan (RTE.ie)

Stephen Silver from Foxford in Co Mayo, who has a long history of mental illness, denied murdering Detective Garda Colm Horkan in June 2020 but admitted ...

We love him dearly." In a statement, the minister said that Garda Horkan's murder was a reminder of the risks that gardaí make every day to protect communities. Garda Commissioner Drew Harris said that Garda Horkan's death "reinforces to every member of An Garda Síochána the reality of the dangers and the uncertainty of the work that we face every day". "Colm was the best of us, a gentleman through and through - he deserved this verdict today," he said. Marty Horkan fought back tears as he said the verdict was the one the family had wanted and the one his wonderful son deserved. Detective Garda Horkan had been on duty since 2pm. Silver's wife sobbed at the back of court and said loudly that her husband "was a sick man" when he killed the detective garda. The verdict was greeted by sighs and a smattering of applause by members of Garda Horkan's family including his father, Marty. Prosecuting counsel Michael Delaney said Silver had a "seething resentment" toward gardaí and the shooting of Garda Horkan was "a deliberate action done with the intent of murder" and with the knowledge that Det Horkan was a garda acting in the course of his duty. He said the enormity of what he had done did not hit him until he was taken to the Central Mental Hospital after the killing. He said he struck him with the butt of the gun as he fell to the ground and shot him several times again. Her conclusion was that his mental capacity was affected by his condition and his responsibility for the killing was diminished.

Man guilty of capital murder of 'kind, caring' Detective Garda Colm ... (Irish Post)

Stephen Silver, 46, of Aughavard, Foxford, Co. Mayo, shot Garda Horkan 11 times with his own gun in Castlerea, Co. Roscommon on June 17, 2020. Silver had ...

"Colm was the best of us, a gentleman through and through. "That investigation is a tribute to the professionalism of An Garda Síochána and to Colm. Mayo, shot Garda Horkan 11 times with his own gun in Castlerea, Co. "Colm's death reinforces to every member of An Garda Síochána the reality of the dangers and the uncertainty of the work that we face every day. Stephen Silver, 46, of Aughavard, Foxford, Co. "I want to pay tribute to the Garda investigation team in Castlerea Garda Station, supported by the wider Garda organisation, that professionally investigated all the circumstances of Colm's murder.

Stephen Silver guilty of murdering Garda Colm Horkan (BBC News)

A 46-year-old man has been found guilty of the capital murder of a Garda (Irish police) detective in County Roscommon almost three years ago.

The defence case was that Silver was suffering from a significant relapse of his long-standing bipolar affective disorder when he shot the detective. He said he then struck him with the butt of the gun as he fell to the ground and shot him several times again. The jury deliberated for almost nine hours before reaching a unanimous verdict that Silver was guilty of murdering a garda in the course of his duty.

Stephen Silver Found Guilty Of Capital Murder Of Detective Colm ... (TodayFM)

Stephen Silver has been found guilty of the capital murder of Detective Garda Colm Horkan. He is now facing a minimum of 40 years in prison.

He is now facing a minimum of 40 years in prison. Stephen Silver has been found guilty of the capital murder of Detective Garda Colm Horkan. A man has been convicted of the capital murder of Detective Garda Colm Horkan in Castlerea, Co Roscommon.

How killer Stephen Silver's 'seething resentment' of the gardai drove ... (Sunday World)

Stephen Silver had a “seething resentment” toward gardaí and when opportunity presented itself he grabbed it, literally, with both hands, shooting Garda ...

He told the jury Silver’s behaviour while in custody was “erratic”, and included urinating in his cell, banging his head off a wall and pacing around. Silver went on to refer to Garda Horkan as a “pr**k” before adding: “He wouldn’t be f**king dead now, would he, if he’d stayed in the car... “Why are we having a State funeral for Colm Horkan when he should be home with his family, and you should be home with your family but you’re not. He gave evidence that the man said, “I know what they did to that black man in America”. “The guard explained who I was and why I wanted to see him. As he tried to save his colleague’s life, Silver told him he was “doing it wrong”. During the interviews, it emerged that Silver had met Gda Horkan almost 20 years before he shot the garda dead. I was in the process of getting up and had my hand on his hip, and I felt the gun. He said he saw then that it was Gda Horkan on the ground. He was right up to me, very close to me, and I said, ‘Stand back’.” Gda Horkan was trained in the use of firearms and had been asked to fulfil detective duties during the pandemic. I was trying to protect the guards.”

Emotional court scenes as Gda Colm Horkan's killer Stephen Silver ... (The Irish Sun)

HERO garda Colm Horkan was remembered as a “gentleman” today as the man responsible for his killing was found guilty of capital murder.

“Today, as every day, we remember our colleague Colm who made the ultimate sacrifice to protect the local community he served so well. He said: “Colm was murdered on duty and never came home to his family. He had pleaded guilty to manslaughter at Castlerea, Co Roscommon, on June 17, 2020. And the prosecution insisted Silver had a “seething resentment” of gardai and that the shooting was “a deliberate action done with the intent of murder”. [Drew Harris](http://thesun.ie/who/Drew-Harris) described Silver’s conviction as a “sombre day” for the [Gardai](http://thesun.ie/topic/an-garda-siochana) and Colm’s loved ones. Silver said: “He had his hand on the gun and I had my hand on the gun and we wrestled. He claimed a struggle ensued before he fell to the ground, and in the process of getting up he felt the gun on Det Gda Horkan’s hip. Silver told the court that he believed Det Gda Horkan was “a heavy down from Dublin” who “was trying to kill him”. [Mayo](http://thesun.ie/where/mayo), had pleaded [not guilty](https://www.thesun.ie/news/9555473/garda-colm-horkan-garda-trial-good-detective/) to the murder of Det Garda Horkan. [Silver](https://www.thesun.ie/news/9637158/stephen-silver-colm-horkan-shot-apologise-family/), who made no reaction to the verdict, now faces a minimum sentence of 40 years in [prison](https://www.thesun.ie/topic/prison/). [trial](https://www.thesun.ie/news/9631094/garda-colm-horkan-murder-trial-stephen-silver-latest/) heard Det Gda Horkan was a well-regarded member of the force with 25 years’ service and no disciplinary issues. Colm’s brother, Brendan Horkan, said: “Colm was the best of us, a gentleman through and through — he deserved this verdict today.”

Stephen Silver

Explore the last week