A sports top and gloves found near the home of a man accused of a fatal shooting had firearms residue on them, a trial at the Central Criminal Court has heard.

James ‘Jimmy’ Lammon (aged 44), of Cardington Way, Athy, Co Kildare has pleaded not guilty to the murder of Jason Doogue (aged 22) in the Green Hills area of Athy on August 15, 2015.

Mr Doogue died after being shot three times by a masked and hooded gunman on a bicycle.

Dr Thomas Hannigan of Forensic Science Ireland today told prosecuting counsel Kerida Naidoo SC that he examined a number of items found by gardaí searching the area around Mr Lammon’s home.

Four latex gloves that had been discovered in a ditch had positive traces of firearms residue, he said. A black top found elsewhere also had traces of firearms residue.

Dr Hannigan told the jury that every time a gun is fired, tiny particles are released by the explosion.

These particles, he said, tend to cling to the hands or gloves and clothes of the shooter.

He said he therefore concluded that there was “strong support for the suggestion that these items were worn by the gunman”.

He then agreed with defence counsel Mary Rose Gearty SC that the residue shows only that the wearer was present when a gun was fired, and not necessarily the gun used to shoot Mr Doogue.

Dr Hannigan also found firearms residue on two cloths that were found in a black toolbox in a house in Dooley Terrace.

The toolbox previously came up during evidence given by Paul Day, who was going out with Mr Lammon’s sister Rebecca at the time of the shooting.

Mr Day said that on the day of Mr Doogue’s death, Rebecca Lammon gave him a bucket with the toolbox inside which he then brought to his own home in nearby Dooley Terrace.

Dr Hannigan told Mr Naidoo that his findings showed the cloths were “close to or in contact with a source of firearms residue”.

The trial continues tomorrow in front of a jury and Mr Justice Paul Butler.