Sunday 1 November 2026Compiled from published reports. Every claim links to its source.

Ireland Crime

Every case followed from the first report to the sentence, or to where the reporting stopped.

Case No. 0816Murder · Co. Dublin · 25 Apr 2016

British gunman's appeal dismissed in Dublin pub murder case

Michael Barr, a 35-year-old Irish man (reports differ on his age as 34), was shot seven times by two armed men in boiler suits and rubber masks at the Sunset House pub on Summerhill Parade, Dublin 1, on the night of 25 April 2016. The murder was linked to the Kinahan cartel. David Hunter, a 47-year-old British man (reports differ on his age as 43), and Eamon Cumberton were found guilty by the Special Criminal Court in September 2020, and Christopher Slator, 40, was found guilty in 2022; all three were imprisoned for life. The Court of Appeal dismissed Slator's appeal in November 2025 and Hunter's appeal on 15 June 2026.

  1. Reportednot reported
  2. Arrestednot reported
  3. Chargednot reported
  4. In court15 Jun
    2 reports
  5. Convicted13 Nov
  6. Sentenced
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet

Key facts

consolidated from all reports
What happened
Michael Barr was shot seven times, five in the head, once in the leg, and once in the shoulder, by two armed men wearing boiler suits and full rubber masks who entered the pub at about 9pm.
Where
The shooting took place at the Sunset House pub on Summerhill Parade, Dublin 1.
When
The murder occurred on the night of 25 April 2016.
Weapon
A handgun was used.
Investigation
  • A silver Audi getaway car was abandoned on Walsh Road in Drumcondra, and a burner phone was dropped at the site.
  • A DNA profile from a ski mask recovered from the car matched Hunter's profile, and DNA matching Slator was found on the rubber mask and the tongue of the runners.
In court
  • David Hunter was found guilty of the murder by the Special Criminal Court in September 2020.
  • Christopher Slator was found guilty of the murder by the Special Criminal Court in 2022.
  • The Court of Appeal dismissed Slator's appeal in November 2025, ruling the DNA evidence was correctly admitted and his conviction safe.
  • The Court of Appeal dismissed Hunter's appeal on 15 June 2026, upholding the trial court's findings on witness testimony, DNA evidence, and phone data.
Sentence
David Hunter, Eamon Cumberton, and Christopher Slator were each imprisoned for life for the offence.
Other details
  • The murder was linked to the Kinahan cartel, and Daniel Kinahan sent an intermediary to offer the Barr family an apology and compensation, which was refused.
  • Kevin Murray, who was seen running from the Regency Hotel brandishing a handgun, died from motor neurone disease before he could be extradited to be charged.
45 statements extracted from the articles
  • whatMichael Barr was shot seven times in the head. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatKevin Murray was seen running from the Regency Hotel wearing a flat cap and brandishing a handgun on the day of the Regency murder. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatMichael Barr was shot dead in the Sunset House Pub in Dublin in April 2016. (rte.ie)
  • whatMr Barr was shot seven times, five of them in the head. (rte.ie)
  • whatDavid Hunter was convicted of the murder of Michael Barr at the Sunset House pub. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatMichael Barr was shot seven times: five in the head, once in the leg and once in the shoulder. (irishmirror.ie, irishtimes.com)
  • whatTwo armed men wearing boiler suits and full rubber masks entered the pub at around 9pm. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatA burner phone was dropped at the site where the getaway car was abandoned. (irishmirror.ie, irishtimes.com)
  • whatDavid Hunter, 47, lost his bid to overturn his murder conviction at the Court of Appeal. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatA witness said the gunman was over 6ft tall while Hunter is 5ft 10in. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatThe murder was carried out as part of the Kinahan cartel. (irishtimes.com)
  • whereThe shooting happened at the Sunset House pub on Summerhill Parade in Dublin 1. (rte.ie)
  • whereThe murder took place at the Sunset House pub in Dublin's north inner city. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whereThe silver Audi getaway car was abandoned at Walsh Road in Drumcondra. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whereThe getaway car, a silver Audi, was abandoned on Walsh Road in Drumcondra. (irishtimes.com)
  • whenThe murder took place on 25 April 2016. (rte.ie)
  • whenThe murder occurred on the night of 25 April 2016. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whenThe murder occurred on the night of 25 April 2016 at about 9pm. (irishtimes.com)
  • weaponMr Barr was killed in a gun murder. (rte.ie)
  • investigationA major part of a DNA profile from a ski mask recovered from the car matched Hunter's profile. (irishmirror.ie)
  • investigationA DNA profile from a ski mask recovered from the car matched Hunter's profile. (irishtimes.com)
  • courtChristopher Slator pleaded not guilty to the murder. (rte.ie)
  • courtSlator was found guilty of the murder by the non-jury Special Criminal Court in 2022. (rte.ie)
  • courtThe Court of Appeal ruled that DNA evidence was correctly admitted at the trial. (rte.ie)
  • courtThe Court of Appeal dismissed Slator's appeal against conviction. (rte.ie)
  • courtThe appeal argued that the defence was disadvantaged by an incomplete examination of the mask and runners. (rte.ie)
  • courtThe court found that DNA matching Slator was found on two separate exhibits, the rubber mask and the tongue of the runners. (rte.ie)
  • courtThe court held that the Special Criminal Court's conclusions on possible contamination were cogent, rational and grounded in the evidence. (rte.ie)
  • courtThe court held that a trip Slator took to Thailand the day after the shooting was admissible as circumstantial evidence. (rte.ie)
  • courtThe court concluded that Slator's trial was satisfactory and his conviction safe, and dismissed the appeal. (rte.ie)
  • courtHunter was found guilty by the Special Criminal Court in September 2020. (irishmirror.ie, irishtimes.com)
  • courtThe trial was presided over by Mr Justice Alexander Owens at the non-jury Special Criminal Court. (irishmirror.ie)
  • courtThe Court of Appeal, with Mr Justice John Edwards, dismissed Hunter's appeal. (irishmirror.ie)
  • courtThe trial judge found the circumstantial evidence pointed inextricably to Hunter's guilt. (irishmirror.ie)
  • courtThe Court of Appeal noted the phone data legislative regime in Ireland at the relevant time was in breach of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the EU. (irishmirror.ie)
  • courtThe Court of Appeal held the gardaí acted reasonably having regard to Irish domestic law at the relevant time. (irishmirror.ie)
  • courtThe DPP accepted that the phone data legislative regime in Ireland at the relevant time was in breach of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the EU. (irishtimes.com)
  • courtThe Court of Appeal dismissed the appeal in its entirety. (irishtimes.com)
  • sentenceDavid Hunter and Eamon Cumberton were also imprisoned for life for the offence. (rte.ie)
  • otherDaniel Kinahan sent an intermediary to offer the Barr family an apology and compensation for Michael's murder. (irishmirror.ie)
  • otherThe Barr family refused the compensation offer. (irishmirror.ie)
  • otherKevin Murray died from motor neurone disease before gardai could extradite him to be charged over the Regency Hotel incident. (irishmirror.ie)
  • otherMichael Barr feared for his life in the weeks prior to his murder and was considering returning to Strabane. (irishmirror.ie)
  • otherHunter is a Liverpool native with an address at Du Cane Road, White City, London. (irishmirror.ie, irishtimes.com)
  • otherHunter claimed the ski mask was his but he had dropped it in a car during a car-stealing exercise two months before the murder. (irishmirror.ie, irishtimes.com)

The reporting

newest first
  1. 15 Jun2026
    In courtirishtimes.com, follow-up
    British gunman loses bid to overturn conviction for Kinahan cartel murder of dissident republican

    Court of Appeal dismissed Hunter's conviction appeal on 15 June 2026, upholding the Special Criminal Court's 2020 murder verdict. The appeal centred on a witness's height description of one gunman and the admissibility of phone data evidence.

    victim, Michael Barr, 35, male, Irish, irishMichael Barrconvicted, David Hunter, 47, male, British, named, non-irishDavid Hunter
  2. 15 Jun2026
    In courtirishmirror.ie, follow-up
    British gunman convicted of Kinahan cartel murder fails in bid for freedom

    Court of Appeal dismisses Hunter's appeal against his 2020 Special Criminal Court murder conviction, upholding the trial court's findings on witness testimony, DNA evidence from a ski mask, and mobile phone data.

    victim, Michael Barr, 35, male, irish (judged from name)Michael Barrconvicted, David Hunter, 47, male, British, named, non-irishDavid Hunter
  3. 13 Nov2025
    Convictedrte.ie, follow-up
    DNA evidence correctly admitted in Slator trial

    Court of Appeal ruling dismissing Slator's appeal against conviction, with the grounds of appeal and the court's reasoning on the DNA evidence. Also names the other two men convicted of the murder and their sentences.

    victim, Michael Barr, male, irish (judged from name)Michael Barrconvicted, Christopher Slator, 40, male, named, irish (judged from name)Christopher Slatorconvicted, David Hunter, 43, named, non-irish (judged from name)David Hunterconvicted, Eamon Cumberton, named, irish (judged from name)Eamon Cumberton
  4. 7 Feb2023
    Otheririshmirror.ie, follow-up
    Family of feud shooting victim told Daniel Kinahan to stick 'blood money' offer

    Family of Michael Barr reveals Daniel Kinahan sent an intermediary to offer an apology and compensation ('blood money'), which was refused. Noeleen Barr also describes Michael's fear for his life in the weeks before his murder and his consideration of returning to Strabane.

    victim, Michael Barr, 34, male, non-irish (judged from name)Michael Barrsuspect, Daniel Kinahan, male, named, irish (judged from name)Daniel Kinahansuspect, Kevin Murray, male, named, non-irish (judged from name)Kevin Murray