Freed thug is linked to Kinsella murder

This week, twisted killer Wayne Kinsella was jailed for life for the murder of dad-of-five Adil Essalhi in a case where evidence was given that Kinsella believed the victim was involved in the murder of his younger brother Lee Kinsella in Finglas in May 2006.

Sources have confirmed that Mr Essalhi was not involved in shooting Lee Kinsella in front of his children six years ago -- but a prime suspect has been identified.

This criminal had been locked up since shortly after Lee Kinsella was murdered -- but was released from prison in 2010.

The feared Finglas gangster, who is in his late 20s, had been serving a lengthy jail term for serious crimes. The gangster, who is a major cocaine user, had very strong links to murdered crime lords Martin 'Marlo' Hyland and John Daly. He also has links to a group of Ballymun-based criminals.

"This fella is a very dangerous individual and it is no surprise that Wayne Kinsella has never made any attempt to get at him over the years -- Kinsella only ever went for weaker or vulnerable people.

"With the connections that this guy has, he does not fit into that category at all and it is easy to see why Kinsella never tried to target him," said a source.

Unlike his older brother Wayne, Lee Kinsella was considered "decent" and was targeted after he stood up to gangland thugs.

Bullets

Lee (30) was shot dead through the living room window of his home on Ratoath Avenue, Finglas, on May 8, 2006, around 18 months after a confrontation with car thieves.

He pushed his nine-year-old stepson Ryan Joyce out of the way of the hail of bullets that killed him. He sustained three gunshot injuries, one to his right ankle, one to his left arm and a third which went through his right wrist and re-entered his abdomen, causing fatal injuries.

The fatal shooting related to an altercation between Lee and a group of youths about 18 months before his killing.

Gardai say their investigation into the murder is "very active".

kfoy@herald.ie