A double-murder trial has heard two bullets were recovered from each of the skulls of two men found in a burning car in Co. Louth five years ago.

Jason O’Driscoll from Richmond Avenue in Dublin denies murdering Anthony Burnett and Joseph Redmond.

His trial has also been hearing from the firefighters who found their bodies on the night of March 7th 2012.

Stephen Hoey was one of the firefighters who attended the scene at a car park at the entrance to Ravendale Park just outside Dundalk.

While hosing down the car, he said he saw a skull and rib cage sitting on the driver’s side. He said the skull was badly cracked and broken up.

A second skull was found when Gardaí arrived.

Detective Garda Shane Curran attended the scene the following afternoon. He said the remains of two people were in the front of the car.

The driver’s door was open and one of the skulls was protruding through it, while the body on the other side was slumped across the driver.

He said great care was needed to separate the bodies.

During a post mortem the following day, Detective Garda Curran said he observed bullet fragments being taken from the skulls.

He said two discharged bullets were removed from each. On further examination, he said the bullets were fired from a revolver and were most likely fired from the same gun.

However, without the firearm, he said he couldn't be 100% certain of that.

The bodies were later identified as Anthony Burnett and Joseph Redmond. They were described earlier as “small-time criminals” who had stolen a VW Golf in Dublin on the day they were killed.

It is the prosecution’s case that Jason O’Driscoll was the intended buyer and that he was present when they were shot.

Mr. O’Driscoll denies both charges.