Bray boxing club shooting

Coordinates: 53°12′30″N 6°06′10″W / 53.20842°N 6.10288°W / 53.20842; -6.10288 The Bray boxing club shooting happened in Bray, Ireland on 5 June 2018.^[1] Three men were shot, one died. One of the survivors was Pete Taylor, father of Katie Taylor.^[2]

Shooting[]

At 6:55 am a man walked into the Bray Boxing Club just before a class started and fired a number of shots, killing Bobby Messett, injuring Pete Taylor in the arm and chest and Ian Britton in the legs.^[1][3] There were 12 people in the gym including 1 minor at the time of the shooting.^[3] Katie Taylor had previously trained in the club, but was no longer involved and was in the United States at the time.^[1]

Pete Taylor and the other survivor of the shooting were taken to St. Vincent's University Hospital after being shot.^[1]

Gardai were looking for a silver coloured Volkswagen Caddy after examining CCTV.^[1] The van was thought to have travelled from Bray through Shankill, then abandoned on Pigeon House Road near Poolbeg Generating Station in Ringsend.^[3]

Arrests and charges[]

Gerard Cervi, of no fixed abode, was arrested and charged at a special sitting of Bray District Court in September 2018.^[2] The 31-year-old was originally from East Wall.^[2] A woman in her 20s was arrested in relation to the case, but released without charge.^[2]

Cervi was also charged with the attempted murders of Peter Taylor and Ian Britton in January 2019.^[4][5] He was sent for trial in February 2019.^[6]

Aftermath[]

Pete Taylor spoke of his distress in the aftermath of the shooting both at the event and at the death of his close friend Bobby Messett, who had joined the gym in 2010.^[2] Petes' partner Karen Brown said on Instagram that she and Pete were relocating abroad after a "turbulent summer".^[2]

The week following the shooting, Wicklow County Council took possession of the building.^[7]

Katie Taylor issued a statement issuing condolences to the family of Bobby Messett and relief that her father had survived.^[8] She mentioned that she was estranged from her father and nothing to do with the club since 2015.^[8] She also criticised the media for the use of her name and image in stories relating to the shooting and asked the media to leave her and her family alone.^[8]

Wicklow County Council had been pursuing Pete Taylor for €9,533 unpaid rent the month before, which was revealed in a freedom of information request.^[9] The council believed that rent had not been paid since 2014.^[9] Pete Taylor rejected allegations that the club was in arrears over rent, saying there was a legitimate dispute over the amount owed and he criticised the council for changing locks on the club building.^[10]

In November 2020 Pete Taylor sought a High Court injunction preventing Wicklow County Council from evicting him and the boxing club.^[11] He claimed the council changed the locks on the premises a few days after the shooting and that the council proposed to take charge of it, have it cleaned, fixed and made fit for use as a sports facility.^[11] He claimed that the council had used the shooting as a "smokescreen to unlawfully evict" both him and the club from the premises.^[11] Taylor said it was always his intent to return and operate the club as before and that the council had no right to retake the property.^[11] He claimed that he and the club had been unable to regain entrance to the building and several club members had to make alternate arrangements.^[11] As a result he and the club had sued the council - proceedings that were ongoing and were due to be brought before the High Court later in November 2020.^[11] Earlier in November 2020 Taylor said that he discovered the council had posted an eviction notice outside the building giving him and the club ten days to leave.^[11] Pete Taylor claimed that by serving the eviction notice the council was trying to circumvent and interfere with onlgoing legal action.^[11] It was said that it would not be possible to find an alternative venue to store equipment, which remained in the premises due to Level 5 restrictions.^[11] Mr Taylor said this is why he and the club sought an order from the High Court preventing the council from terminating their legal interests in the club in the absence of a properly obtained court order.^[11] The plaintiffs also sought an order allowing them to enter the premises and declarations that the council is prevented from the gum.^[11] The judge granted permission to the plaintiffs to serve short notice of the injunction application on the council.^[11]

In February 2021 Wicklow County Council said to the court that Pete Taylor and Bray Boxing Club were not entitled to an injunction preventing the council terminating the legal interests of Taylor and the club in the premises.^[12] They admitted changing the locks but argued that Taylor and the club had no properietary entitlement to the premises.^[12] The council also argued that even if the argument for an injunction was taken at its highest point the applicants had only a "bare licence" agreement which could be terminated at any time.^[12] The council also argued that rent had not been paid on the premises for several years.^[12] The judge reserved his decision and said that he would give his decision as soon as possible.^[12]

In March 2021 the High Court dismissed the bid for an injunction preventing Wicklow County Council terminating the legal interests of Taylor and the club.^[13][14][15]

Trial[]

On 28 June 2021 Gerard Cervi appeared at the Central Criminal Court.^[16][17] He spoke only to confirm his name and to plead not guilty to the charge of murdering Bobby Messett on 18 June 2018 and to the charges of attempting to murder Pete Taylor and Ian Britton on the same date.^[16][17] The trial was due to start on 29 June 2021 before Mr Justice Michael White.^[16][17]

The trial began on the afternoon of 29 June 2021.^[18] The prosecution stated that their case was that a single gunman had opened fire in the club and that the accused was said gunman.^[18] Furtheremore, there were twelve people in the club and the three charges against him.^[18] Motive did not have to be decided.^[18]

In September the trial collapsed.^[19] The trial was originally due to end in August, but the finish date was extended to September and two jurors asked to be discharged.^[19] The remaining jurors agreed on 24 August to continue sitting until 22 October.^[19] On 2 September nine members of the jury arrived in court and Mr Justice White said he was "sorry to hear about the illness to one of your number".^[19] He said he hoped she would recover and adjourned the trial until 6 September.^[19] On 6 September he said that the ill juror had to go back into hospital and although her illness was not life-threatening it was impossible for the trial to continue as they had fewer than ten jurors.^[19] He thanked the nine for their jury service and discharged them.^[19] He listed the case for mention before the Central Criminal Court on 11 October 2021.^[19]

References[]