Aaron Brady guilty of murdering Det Garda Adrian Donohoe

Aaron Brady pictured at an earlier court appearance

A man from Northern Ireland has been found guilty of the capital murder of a garda (Irish police officer) who was shot dead in a robbery seven years ago.

Det Garda Adrian Donohoe died after he was shot during a raid on Lordship Credit Union in County Louth on 25 January, 2013.

Aaron Brady, from New Road in Crossmaglen, County Armagh, was tried at Dublin's Central Criminal Court.

The jury found him guilty by a majority verdict of 11 to one.

The crime of capital murder in the Republic of Ireland carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 40 years.

In order to be convicted of the offence, the jury had to be satisfied beyond reasonable doubt that Brady knew he was shooting a garda on active duty, or was reckless as to whether or not he was a garda.

• An armed robbery that ended in a policeman's death

The murdered officer, who was 41 years old, was married with two young children.

Det Garda Adrian Donohoe was shot dead during a robbery in 2013

He was one of two detectives on late-night duty who were escorting a cash collection at the rural credit union when the robbery took place.

His murder trial was told that staff were preparing to leave the building with the day's takings, when they were approached by a gang of men who robbed them.

Det Garda Donohoe was shot in the head and died at the scene.

The victim's widow, Caroline Deloughrey, was also a garda at the time, but she left the force after his murder.

Speaking briefly outside court, she said: "I would like to most sincerely thank the jury for sticking with this trial for so long and for my garda colleagues and for the prosecution team, on behalf of Amy, Niall and myself."

Det Garda Donohoe's widow Caroline thanked the jury after the guilty verdict

Brady, who is 29, is the only suspect to have been brought to trial so far.

'Brady was not alone'

The victim's brother Colm Donohoe, who is also a serving garda, read a statement outside court on behalf of the Donohoe family.

He welcomed the guilty verdict but added that Brady was "not alone" during the robbery.

"The quest for justice for Adrian will continue and we appeal to anyone, near or far, who has any information that may assist in this investigation to come forward and do the right thing," he said.

"While justice has been done today, nothing will bring back Adrian to his wife; his two kids; his parents; his family; his colleagues and his friends."

Forensic investigators searched the area around Lordship credit union hours after the murder

Brady moved to the United States shortly after the murder, but was extradited to the Republic of Ireland in 2017 after overstaying his US visa.

Witnesses who gave evidence by video-link from New York told the Dublin court that Brady had claimed to them on several occasions that he had killed a garda.

'One of their own'

Det Garda Donohoe's brother thanked international law enforcement agencies for the "extraordinary help" they gave to the investigation which secured Brady's conviction.

"A special word of thanks has to go to the US authorities, and especially to Homeland Security, who took on the investigation like Adrian was one of their own," he said.

Garda Colm Donohoe (centre) read a family statement outside court

In a press conference after the verdict, Garda Deputy Commissioner John Twomey said the team who investigated the murder are continuing to work on the case as other suspects have not yet been brought to justice.

He issued a warning to all the people involved in the fatal robbery.

"We will be knocking on your door and we will make sure that you pay for this horrendous act," Mr Twomey said.

Det Garda Donohoe joined An Garda Síochána (the Irish police force) in 1994 and had served for 19 years at the time of his death.

Originally from Kilnaleck in County Cavan, he lived a short distance from where the robbery took place and both his children attended the school across the road from the murder scene.

He was the 87th member of the force to be killed in the line of duty since its formation almost a century ago.

He received a state funeral in Dundalk, attended by thousands of his Garda colleagues and political leaders from both sides of the Irish border.

Diesel laundering

Throughout his trial, Brady had denied murder and any involvement in the robbery.

He claimed he had lied to gardaí about his movements on the night the detective was killed because he had been laundering diesel in County Armagh at the time of the robbery.

The getaway car was found burnt out at Fews forest outside Newtownhamilton, County Armagh

On Monday 10 August, the jury of seven women and five men unanimously convicted Brady of a separate charge of robbery.

They had found him guilty of stealing approximately €7,000 (£6,300) in cash and cheques from Lordship credit union on the night Det Garda Donohoe was killed.

The jury deliberated for about 20 hours in total, over the course of six days.

The judge is due to hear victim impact statements before deciding how long Brady will spend in jail.

A sentence hearing has been scheduled for 14 October.

The last time anyone was jailed for capital murder in the Republic of Ireland was 35 years ago.

That case also involved the murder of a serving garda from County Cavan, who was shot dead by a man from Crossmaglen following a robbery in County Louth.

Garda Sgt Patrick Morrissey was shot at Rathbrist, Tallanstown, in June 1985 and the gunman and his accomplice were convicted of capital murder in December that year.