Five get life as Limerick gang murder trial ends
FIVE men were last night jailed for life for the murder of Limerick crime boss Kieran Keane and the attempted murder of his nephew, Owen Treacy.
The jury deliberated for 15 hours over three days in Dublin's Central Criminal Court before returning unanimous guilty verdicts on all five accused for the murder of Kieran Keane at Drombana, Limerick, on January 29 last.
The jury of seven women and five men also found them guilty of the attempted murder of Owen Treacy and of two counts of falsely imprisoning Kieran Keane and Owen Treacy on the same date.
They are: Desmond Dundon, 20, of Hyde Road, Limerick; David "Frogs Eyes" Stanners, 31, of Pineview Gardens, Moyross; James McCarthy, 24, of Delmege Park, Moyross; Christopher "Smokie" Costelloe, 20, of Moylish Avenue, Ballynanty Beg and Anthony "Noddy" McCarthy, 21, of Fairgreen, Garryowen.
Kieran Keane, 36, of Garryowen, Limerick, had his hands tied behind his back and was shot once in the head in an execution-style killing. There was evidence that he was tortured at or before the time of death.
Owen Treacy, 31, of Munchin's St, St Mary's Park, Limerick, was stabbed 17 times. Treacy, the chief prosecution witness, was in court yesterday as the jury came back with their verdict shortly before 6pm.
Armed gardai from the Emergency Response Unit, attached to the Special Detective Unit, formed a barrier between the five accused, their supporters and Owen Treacy who sat at the back of the court.
As the five men were being led away, Anthony "Noddy" McCarthy shouted towards the Keanes: "For every action there's a reaction - remember that." James McCarthy shouted "bastard" towards Owen Treacy.
The Sunday Independent can now reveal that the murdered crime boss paid in excess of ?50,000 to have two men killed on the night he himself was murdered. When Keane arrived at a house in Fairgreen, Limerick, for a prearranged meeting with Anthony "Noddy" McCarthy and Desmond Dundon, it was to finalise the contract killing of two members of the Ryan family.
However, unknown to him, they had double-crossed him and negotiated a more lucrative contract with an opposing gang - possibly twice as much as offered by the Keanes. Their deal was for the McCarthy/Dundons to cancel the contract on Kieran and Eddie Ryan - sons of murdered criminal Eddie Ryan - and instead kill Kieran Keane.
Dessie Dundon and Noddy McCarthy agreed. They and others concocted a plan to have the Ryans abducted in order to make the Keanes believe that the brothers had been murdered.
Dessie Dundon is a prime suspect for the murder of Limerick bouncer Brian Fitzgerald who was shot dead because he refused to allow drugs into his night club. Dundon is also the main suspect for the shooting of another Limerick man, Ray Woodland, whose leg had to be amputated as a result.
On the afternoon of Keane's murder, when the two Ryan brothers were still missing, Kieran Keane met Dessie Dundon at Keane's home at Garryowen. Later that evening, Keane and Owen Treacy arrived at Fairgreen after they had been told that the contract on the Ryans had been "filled" and they were to hand over the money.
Instead, they were hooded, had their hands taped behind their backs and were held at Fairgreen.
The Sunday Independent can also reveal that the money believed to have been handed over by Keane was given to Jim O'Brien, former owner of the infamous Limerick nightclub the Henry Cecil, which was forcibly closed down in 1998. O'Brien was not involved in the abduction or the murder. He has, however, a number of convictions and is known to gardai.
O'Brien was arrested the morning after the murder and more than ?50,000 was seized during a raid on his home at Willow Crescent, Annacotty, Limerick. Gardai have retained the money under the Proceeds of Crime legislation.
Immediately afterwards O'Brien fled the country and is now in Spain. At the time, O'Brien was under investigation on suspicion of laundering money on behalf of the McCarthy/Dundon gang.
The court also heard evidence that Dundon and two other members of the murder gang were stopped driving a Volvo car registered to O'Brien's former pub, The Chaser's in Pallasgreen. When stopped by the gardai, the driver, Dessie Dundon, gave his name and address as that of Jim O'Brien. The Chaser's has since changed ownership. There was uncontested evidence during the trial that the silver Micra used by the gang is registered to O'Brien'sgirlfriend.
When questioned, Jim O'Brien claimed the cash - which was found in a bag of clothing - was the proceeds of a property sale.
Christopher "Smokie" Costelloe, one of the five convicted of the murder of Kieran Keane, was with the two Ryan brothers on January 23, the day of their abduction. There is no suggestion that either of the brothers willingly participated in their own abduction or in the events that followed.
In statements obtained by the Sunday Independent, "Smokie" Costelloe states that he was with the two Ryans when a car pulled up. Two men wearing balaclavas jumped out and grabbed them. "I managed to get away up by the side of the van towards my house. As I got to the corner they left a shot after me. I could feel the pellets breeze off the jacket."
The Sunday Independent has learned that prior to their abduction, the Ryan gang learned of the ?50,000 contract on Eddie and Kieran Ryan and another associate, a man living near Thurles.
In the early hours of January 30, shortly after Kieran Keane was pronounced dead, the Ryan brothers were driven to Portlaoise, where they were released unharmed.
With Kieran Keane dead and his brother Christy serving 10 years for drug supply, the way was clear for the McCarthy/Dundon gang and two other gangs - including a notorious one based in Kilrush, Co Clare - to take over the multimillion euro drug business in Limerick, Clare and parts of Cork.
James McCarthy (no relation to Anthony McCarthy) is a convicted drug dealer. After the murder, he and "Smokie" Costelloe went back to the home of Pa McCarthy, a first cousin of James, and nephew of Kieran Keane.
Pa McCarthy is also a convicted drug dealer who is deeply involved in drug supply in the Limerick region. He speaks daily of the loss of his uncle Kieran and has a shrine erected to him in his sitting room.
Dessie Dundon, Anthony McCarthy and another man were on their way out of the country when they were stopped in Jim O'Brien's Volvo at Roscrea, hours after the Keane murder. They were allowed to proceed and travelled to Dublin where they stayed overnight. From there they went to Belfast and took the ferry from Stranraer and then travelled to London. They returned to Ireland some months later and were arrested at a house in Johnswell, Kilkenny, in March.
