Limerick man shot victim as group of children played nearby
A man who rode around Limerick on a bicycle wearing a bulletproof vest and armed with a sawn-off shotgun, jumped off his bike and shot a man, a court heard today, .
Jason Frayne, from Limerick, but of no fixed abode, was sentenced to eight years imprisonment with the final two and half years suspended at Limerick Circuit Court.
Frayne, who previously escaped from custody and sent gardaí taunting messages on Facebook while he was on the run for other offences, was captured after a garda who was on lookout for a suspect with a gun on a bike, spotted Frayne peddling through part of Limerick city centre.
The shooting occurred in broad daylight on May 9, 2015, outside the home of Liam 'Lika' Casey Snr on Hyde Road.
Mr Casey and the victim were sitting on a wall outside the house when they saw Frayne cycling towards them, jump from the bike, and produce a single barrel sawn off shotgun.
The men told gardaí that as Frayne (aged 23) aimed the gun at them they had "thought it was a joke", the court heard.
Frayne, who pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm with intent to endanger life, and having a cartridge with intent to endanger life, fired two shots hitting the victim in the leg and arm.
The court heard there were a group of children playing nearby.
Frayne was in "a long and deep dispute" with the Casey family, and the victim "had nothing to do with it," John O'Sullivan, prosecuting, said.
Frayne interrupted the court to address judge Tom O'Donnell, presiding: "Tom...I'm not involved in no feud, I'm not part of no gangs."
The victim sustained "multiple puncture wounds" but has since made a full recovery, the court heard.
Earlier on the day Frayne told his mother: "I'm sorry I shot the boy", and had planned to "go on a rampage and then hand himself over to Gardaí", Mr O'Sullivan said.
Frayne was arrested and found in possession of gloves, a bullet proof vest, a cartridge, and a black hoody.
Frayne told gardaí he wore the vest as his "life was under threat", Mr O'Sullivan said.
Gardaí said they could find no evidence to support claims by Frayne that he was "shot at" the previous day, and that on another occasion, he had "shot a man in the face" to defend himself.
Judge O'Donnell said: "What is alarming is this young man thought it appropriate to be riding around the streets of Limerick on a bike with a bullet proof vest and with an adapted sawn off shotgun, and that he was prepared to use it, and indeed did use it."
Addressing Judge Tom O'Donnell after sentencing, Frayne said: "Thanks Tom".
