Stephen Silver (pictured) was on trial accused of the murder of Detective Garda Colm Horkan in June 2020. Photo: PA

Forty-six-year-old Stephen Silver has been found guilty at the Central Criminal Court of the capital murder of Detective Garda Colm Horkan in Castlerea more than two years ago.

Mr Silver, of Aughavard, Foxford, County Mayo, had pleaded not guilty to the murder of Detective Garda Horkan in Castlerea on June 17th, 2020.

He pleaded guilty to manslaughter, and the jury was told the main issue in the trial was Mr Silver’s state of mind at the time of the shooting when he shot Garda Colm Horkan with his own gun.

The Irish Times said that in Ms Justice Burns’ directions to the jury, she  told the panel of seven men and five women that the possible verdicts they could consider related to capital murder, murder simpliciter, or manslaughter either because of diminished responsibility or self-defence. She said that a verdict of not guilty is not open to them in the case as Mr Silver entered a plea to the charge of manslaughter.

Jury members were asked to consider whether Mr Silver was suffering from a relapse of his mental illness when he shot and killed Garda Horkan and whether this substantially reduced his responsibility.

The jury reached a unanimous guilty verdict of murdering a garda in the course of his duty.

More to follow…