HITMEN CAGED
Man admits to murder plot and gun charge
A MAN has pleaded guilty to possession of a gun and conspiracy to murder Gary Hanley.
Luke Wilson was charged with in connection with the case along with three other men.
The 23-year-old and another man were also charged with possession of a Beretta firearm and 15 rounds of 9mm ammunition with intent to endanger life on November 6, 2017.
At the Special Criminal Court yesterday Wilson, from Cremona Road, Ballyfermont, West Dublin, pleaded guilty to the two charges.
Three other men, who were also arrested by gardai during the same operation have not indicated a plea at this time.
CONSPIRING
The men, Alan Wilson, 39, of New Street Gardens, Liam Brannigan, 37, of Bride Street, and 35-year-old Joseph Kelly of Kilworth Road, all in Dublin, are also charged with conspiring to murder Hanley.
Mr Justice Tony Hunt reacted angrily as defence counsel Cathal O Braonain, for Wilson, said a trial would last 10 weeks.
He declared: “They are able to do a murder trial in Spain in four days.”
Mr O Braonain explained there was a substantial amount of audio and CCTV involved in the case and this would take some time to get through.
Judge Hunt said the lawyer should let the court know as soon as possible if there is a change of mind in the accused.
The case was adjourned until January 14, 2019 for mention.
Wilson will appear again today when evidence of the incident will be heard. TWO hitmen have been caged after they were arrested moments before carrying out a gangland shooting.
Garda spooks heard one of the thugs say, “Shoot him in the head or we don’t get paid” moments before swooping on the armed pair.
Stephen Dunne, 39, and 34-year-old Gary Gleeson had pleaded guilty to counts associated with possession of a firearm and ammunition with intent to endanger life at Naas Road in Crumlin, South Dublin, on August 7 last year.
The men were en route to kill gangland figure and car dealer Michael Frazer.
He has survived a large number of hits including one in which he was blasted in a church car park. He then also narrowly avoided death when a hitman’s gun jammed in August 2014.
The accused were before the Special Criminal Court yesterday for sentence. In sentencing the men Mr Justice Tony Hunt described their criminal scheme as an “outrageous escapade”.
The court heard previously gardai had placed a bug inside the van that was being used by the thugs.
Detective Inspector David Gallagher of the Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau read a transcript to the court of the moment the gunmen discussed their tactics for the hit.
The court was told as Gleeson drove the van Dunne sat with the loaded Luger Taurus handgun.
Gleeson, of Muskerry Road in Ballyfermot, Dublin, was heard to say: “Aim for the head, have to get him in the head. Head shots or we don’t get f ***** g paid.”
Bespectacled Dunne, of Meile an Ri Drive in Lucan, responded: “Once I get him a bit, I have to walk right up to him, you know what I mean, do you get me?” Gleeson: “Yeah.”
Dunne: “I just keep walking, as soon as we block him I am going to let a shot off in the van and once I get him a bit I’ll keep walking towards him right up to the windscreen and keep shooting and around to the side. I keep shooting, yeah.”
Gleeson callously responded: “Riddle him.”
Det Insp Gallagher told the court it was at this point Garda commanders ordered an ERU team to launch their “intervention”.
When they examined the gun they found the idiot hitmen had loaded the gun with the incorrect ammunition. It would have still been lethal but would have been capable of firing just one round.
Michael O’higgins, SC, for Gleeson, claimed his client had lost a drug shipment worth €80,000 and he had suffered threats from the gang. Judge Hunt praised gardai for their work in the case. He said: “The transcript of the conversation is a disturbing document.
“This was shambolic and ill prepared and was not assisted by the drug taking on the day – this rendered you no less dangerous.”
Both men were sentenced to 12 years imprisonment.
However the three-judge panel suspended one year of Gleeson’s sentence meaning an 11-year jail term. Dunne had two years of his term suspended and he will serve 10 years. The sentences were backdated to when then first went into custody.
Det Insp Gallagher said outside the court: “Today’s convictions are part of the relentless targeting of individuals intent on targeting individuals for assassination.”