Mr Justice McDermott said the evidence showed that a family member of Mr McDonnell owed a €100,000 drug debt. The victim himself had no involvement in criminality and had worked all his life as a mechanic

Thomas McDonnell told the Central Criminal Court on Friday of the moment he expected to "get one in the head" as he lay on the ground pretending to be dead, only for the gunman to fumble with his weapon, which appeared to have jammed.