‘Valiant efforts’ to save Carroll
Frantic and valiant efforts were made to revive policeman Stephen Carroll, a court has heard on the second day of his murder trial.
The 49-year-old constable was shot dead as he responded to a 999 call in Craigavon.
His mother and sister wept in the public gallery of Belfast Crown Court, as they heard one of his colleagues recount what happened when he heard the shots ring out.
The officer said he had just got out of a second police car when the shooting happened. He crouched down behind the passenger door, then got in. He said, at that stage, another officer in Constable Carroll’s car was pointing a handgun in a number of directions.
That officer then told them ‘my driver is dead’.
“I was very shocked,” the testifying officer told the court. “In disbelief. I wasn’t really sure what to do. Do I get out, do I stay in? In the end, I didn’t do an awful lot.”
Belfast Crown Court heard that, despite all efforts, doctors and medical staff at Craigavon Area Hospital were forced to accept the constable “had received an unsurvivable injury”.
Reading from statements, Judge Lord Justice Girvan heard that medical staff found the scene was “quite hectic” – with armed police attempting to secure the area, while others treated their downed colleague.
A paramedic said they found Constable Carroll sitting slumped back in the front seat of his squad car, his eyes shut tight and blood pouring from a head wound.
While a heart monitor attached to his chest confirmed that there were no vital signs of life, the medical team continued to administer CPR to the stricken policeman.
This was maintained during the eight to 10-minute dash to hospital, described as “an unhindered journey” after police cleared the way of other traffic.
Constable Carroll’s inspector told the court of the “valiant efforts” made by the hospital staff who worked on him for over 20 minutes, despite the extent of his injury.
Former Sinn Féin councillor Brendan McConville, 39 and from Aldervale in Tullygally, and 19-year-old John Paul Wootton, from Collindale in Lurgan, are on trial accused of murdering Constable Carroll.
Wootton’s 48-year-old mother Sharon, from the same address as her son, is accused of perverting justice by removing a computer from her home.
All three deny the charges against them.
Constable Carroll’s shooting was carried out on March 9, 2009 – just two days after two soldiers were gunned down outside Massereene Army barracks in Antrim.
