THE MOTHER OF murdered gunman Tristan Sherry (26) was unable to recognise her son because his face was so badly beaten when a group set upon him after he fatally shot gangland figure Jason Hennessy Snr in a busy restaurant on Christmas Eve over two years ago, the Special Criminal Court has heard.

Prosecution counsel Fiona Murphy SC, at a sentencing hearing for three men convicted of Sherry’s murder, today read statements by the deceased’s mother, Mary Hand and sister, Savannah.

Hand said she and her daughter have been left “terrified” of living in Blanchardstown since the murder, while Savannah wrote that they have moved house twice “due to fear of not being safe”.

Savannah also criticised people with no connection to the family who had posted videos and photos of Sherry’s death on social media for “entertainment”.

She said she is terrified that someone will set their house on fire and wrote of ongoing nightmares in which she recalls her brother’s face in a Dublin morgue as he lay on a cold steel table, surrounded by blood.

Hand said she has been left devastated by the murder of her “first-born child”. When gardaí brought her to identify the body, she said: “He was that badly beaten I didn’t recognise him.”

She said she could not believe what had happened and couldn’t stop crying. In her nightmares, she said she sees her son “coming towards me with all his teeth knocked out”.

Sentencing

At today’s hearing, Mr Justice Kerida Naidoo sentenced Michael Andrecut (23) of Sheephill Avenue, Blanchardstown, to the mandatory term of life imprisonment for Sherry’s murder.

David Amah (19) of Hazel Grove, Portrane Road, Donabate, and a third man from Blanchardstown, who is now aged 18 but was 17 when charged with the offence, were also convicted of murder.

Neither Amah nor the third defendant are subject to the mandatory life sentence because they were 17 at the time of the offence.

The court also sentenced Jaures Kumbu today to three years in prison, with the final year suspended for two years. Kumbu (19) of Brookhaven Grove, Blanchardstown pleaded guilty last year to a firearms offence.

The court heard that he picked up the sub-machine gun used by Sherry, removed it from the scene and gave it to an unidentified person.

In passing sentence, Mr Justice Naidoo noted that the gun has never been retrieved because Kumbu did not bring it to a lawful authority.

However, the court also found that the circumstances of the offence were “exceptional”, given that Kumbu had no involvement in bringing the firearm to the restaurant. Mr Justice Naidoo added that Kumbu had “no choice but to take possession of the weapon”.

The court also considered Kumbu’s youth, lack of previous convictions, and engagement in rehabilitation.

Trial

A trial, which took place last year, heard that Tristan Sherry and a second gunman, dressed all in black and with their faces covered, entered Browne’s Steakhouse in Blanchardstown at about 8pm on 24 December 2023, where Jason Hennessy Snr and about 30 others had gathered.

Sherry shot Hennessy Snr before Hennessy Snr dragged the gunman to the floor. Hennessy Snr collapsed moments later, while other members of his party set on Sherry.

Three of them inflicted 16 stab wounds, 11 incised wounds and blunt force injuries that caused his death. Three others, including Hennessy’s son Brandon Hennessy, were convicted of violent disorder arising from the same incident.

Anne Marie Lawlor SC, for Amah, told the court that her client’s mother had attended almost every day of the trial.

She is, counsel said, a “deeply religious woman” who is concerned and upset about her son. She reminded the court that gardaí described Amah as cooperative and easy to deal with.

She asked the court to consider that Amah was a child faced with an “extraordinary and hysterical” scene. “My client did not bring a weapon, nobody contemplated as they sat to break bread what they would be faced with,” counsel said. Hennessy’s murder, she said, was an extremely provocative act that left Amah frightened for his life.

Seamus Clarke SC, for the unnamed murder defendant, said his client’s family are “law abiding decent people”. Counsel said he accepts the court’s verdict and will not appeal his conviction.

Clarke reminded the court that CCTV footage showed his client trying to leave Browne’s Steakhouse after the gunmen opened fire, but he was unable to open an emergency door, so he returned to the scene.

‘Extraordinary circumstances’

Brandon Hennessy (21) of Sheephill Avenue, Dublin 15, was convicted of violent disorder for twice striking Sherry with a dustpan and brush.

Jonas Kabangu (19), of Corduff Park, Blanchardstown and an 18-year-old from Blanchardstown who was also a child when charged, were convicted of the same offence of violent disorder.

John Hartnett SC, for Brandon Hennessy, asked the court to take into account the “quite extraordinary circumstances” of a young man who had gone for a Christmas dinner with his father when: “Suddenly and without warning, a figure in a balaclava enters and discharges automatic fire at his father, bringing him to the ground and fatally wounding him.”

Hartnett asked the court to imagine the “confusion, alarm, concern and reaction of someone who has just seen their father fatally shot in front of them.” Hennessy’s involvement in the disorder was brief, counsel said, and “at the lower end”.

Michael Hourigan SC, for Kabangu, said his client’s involvement lasted four seconds and involved two kicks to Sherry’s back. He then assisted in removing Hennessy Snr, so he could be taken to hospital.

Doireann McDonagh BL, for the unnamed 18-year-old convicted of violent disorder, said her client had an “extremely difficult childhood” with an alcoholic mother and a father who has significant medical issues.

CCTV footage showed that her client’s first reaction was to hide under a table when the gunmen opened fire. When he emerged, he engaged in violence for less than five seconds.

Afterwards, he attempted to dissuade one of his co-accused from further violence, comforted Hennessy Snr’s wife and then removed a baby from the premises, McDonagh said.

The court adjourned the hearing to a date in May.