Stephen Silver has been sentenced to life in prison for the murder of Detective Garda Colm Horkan in June 2020. The 44-year-old Mayo man shot the police officer with his own gun during a traffic stop in the town of Castlerea. Silver had previously pleaded guilty to the murder.
The sentencing hearing took place in the Central Criminal Court in Dublin on Thursday, where Justice Michael White described Silver’s actions as “premeditated” and ” extremely serious.” Justice White also stated that it was not possible to consider the incident as anything other than a “cold-blooded homicide” and that the murder had caused “immense grief” to Garda Horkan’s family, colleagues, and the wider community.
During the hearing, the court heard from a number of witnesses, including family members of Garda Horkan, who spoke of their pain and loss. His sister Deirdre told the court that her brother’s death had “shattered” her family and left them with “an unimaginable hole in our hearts.” She added that “Colm was our rock, he was our protector… now we feel lost without him.”
The court also heard from Silver’s own family members, who described him as a man who had been struggling with addiction and mental health issues. Silver’s brother, David, told the court that his sibling’s actions were “unfathomable” and that he was “disgusted and appalled” by what had happened.
Silver’s defense team argued that their client had been suffering from a psychotic episode at the time of the murder, and that he had no intention of killing Garda Horkan. However, Justice White dismissed this argument, stating that there was no evidence to support the claim that Silver was experiencing a psychotic episode.
The sentencing of Stephen Silver has been widely welcomed by Irish politicians and Garda representatives. Justice Minister Heather Humphreys said that the sentence “reflects the severity of the crime committed” and that she hoped it would provide some comfort to Garda Horkan’s family.
The President of the Garda Representative Association (GRA), Frank Thornton, also welcomed the sentence, stating that “justice has been served” and that he hoped it would act as a deterrent to others who may consider attacking members of the police force.
The murder of Garda Colm Horkan sparked widespread shock and outrage in Ireland, with thousands of people attending his funeral in his hometown of Ballaghaderreen. The 49-year-old police officer was described by colleagues as a dedicated and compassionate member of the force, who had served in various roles during his 24-year career.
